Portables to be temporary solution for district’s growth

Carroll district officials plan to acquire two or three portable buildings as a short-term measure to deal with capacity challenges at several elementary schools.

At the Jan. 11 board meeting, trustees approved a plan to deal with growth over the next few years while the Capital Needs Planning Committee completes its recommendations for a possible bond for November 2016 or sometime in 2017.

Johnson, Walnut Grove and Carroll elementary schools are nearing their functional capacity numbers, so officials needed to either change boundaries or add space.

“We won’t utilize portables long-term, but this short-term plan approved by the board gives us the opportunity to let the committee complete its recommendation so that we can formulate a long-term plan for Dragon families,” said Superintendent David Faltys.

Officials plan to use portable buildings at Johnson and Carroll elementary schools for special pull-out programs involving small numbers of students, not regular classroom space. Administrators are considering adding additional staffing at Walnut Grove Elementary School where enrollment is expected to reach 700 next fall. If more staff members are added, another portable may be needed there.

Also at Walnut Grove, officials plan to divide a few large collaboration spaces into separate classrooms to accommodate more students.

Administrators decided not to recommend moving preschool programs to available space at Durham Intermediate School because of the cost involved, which was estimated at more than $600,000 for renovations.

Julie Thannum, assistant superintendent for board and community relations, said, “We’re not sure if capital needs will recommend that or expansions at the current facilities.”

The district’s pre-kindergarten students, along with tuition preschool students, attend Carroll and Rockenbaugh elementary schools.

Administrators also plan to gather feedback from families north of Southlake Boulevard who attend Carroll Elementary about switching them from Durham Intermediate and Carroll Middle to Eubanks Intermediate and Dawson Middle schools so Carroll Elementary would no longer be split between two feeder patterns.

Another strategy for dealing with the growing pains at certain schools is to only allow new transfer students at buildings and grade levels where space is available, officials said.

This story was originally published February 3, 2016 at 11:53 AM with the headline "Portables to be temporary solution for district’s growth."