County mulling school location
Despite state rejection of funding, new Talbott Springs school considered
Despite being rejected — again — for state funds to build a new Talbott Springs Elementary School, county officials say they’ll continue to press for a replacement building instead of a renovation for the aging school.
Last year the Interagency Committee on School Construction — a state committee that allocates school construction dollars — said it would not commit state funds for a replacement building that the county school system wanted, and instead decided renovating the 45-year-old Columbia school would be “the most cost-effective solution.”
After an appeal by the school system, the request was reviewed by the state last week and again rejected.
Still, school system and county leaders are looking at ways to come up with the money in the coming years for a new building, estimated to cost nearly $42 million.
The county school board voted last month to conduct another study of the school site to determine if there could be a more efficient project design.
Talbott Springs is in one of the “most disadvantaged communities,” and provides many resources outside of school functions for those in the area, Bruce Gist, the school system’s executive director of capital planning and operations wrote in a winter letter appealing the initial Interagency Committee decision.
County Executive Allan Kittleman also wrote a letter in support of the school system’s appeal, noting that the school serves the community by having food and clothing collections and social and professional community liaison services.
In its current space, teacher planning areas and storage closets are used to meet those service needs.
Fred Mason, a state school construction official, said in an April letter to officials that while the state is aware of the public support for a replacement building and does “empathize with the concerns” of the community, the state doesn’t support a new structure.
The building “is in good structural condition, with solid finish materials and positive architectural features, such as high ceilings in some classrooms,”
Mason’s letter states.
Talbott Springs has been renovated twice in the past 18 years, once in 2000 and again in 2008. The school, built in 1973, has 491 students from pre-kindergarten to the fifth grade. School officials say a new building could be designed for about 600 students.
The state has questioned whether a replacement school could be redesigned to make it more cost effective and if “unusual” school boundaries could be redrawn to avoid overcrowding in other nearby schools.
The state also wants more information about a language immersion pro- See SCHOOL, page 5
Last year the Interagency Committee on School Construction — a state committee that allocates school construction dollars — said it would not commit state funds for a replacement building that the county school system wanted, and instead decided renovating the 45-year-old Columbia school would be “the most cost-effective solution.”
After an appeal by the school system, the request was reviewed by the state last week and again rejected.
Still, school system and county leaders are looking at ways to come up with the money in the coming years for a new building, estimated to cost nearly $42 million.
The county school board voted last month to conduct another study of the school site to determine if there could be a more efficient project design.
Talbott Springs is in one of the “most disadvantaged communities,” and provides many resources outside of school functions for those in the area, Bruce Gist, the school system’s executive director of capital planning and operations wrote in a winter letter appealing the initial Interagency Committee decision.
County Executive Allan Kittleman also wrote a letter in support of the school system’s appeal, noting that the school serves the community by having food and clothing collections and social and professional community liaison services.
In its current space, teacher planning areas and storage closets are used to meet those service needs.
Fred Mason, a state school construction official, said in an April letter to officials that while the state is aware of the public support for a replacement building and does “empathize with the concerns” of the community, the state doesn’t support a new structure.
The building “is in good structural condition, with solid finish materials and positive architectural features, such as high ceilings in some classrooms,”
Mason’s letter states.
Talbott Springs has been renovated twice in the past 18 years, once in 2000 and again in 2008. The school, built in 1973, has 491 students from pre-kindergarten to the fifth grade. School officials say a new building could be designed for about 600 students.
The state has questioned whether a replacement school could be redesigned to make it more cost effective and if “unusual” school boundaries could be redrawn to avoid overcrowding in other nearby schools.
The state also wants more information about a language immersion pro- See SCHOOL, page 5
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