What is the future of West Side School?

Decorah Community School Board members took a tour of West Side School Monday night prior to their regular board meeting. They discovered a well maintained facility, neat and tidy classrooms and the new "state of the art" outdoor playground and learning space. But that is only part of the story.

West Side is actually West Side Early Childhood Center and serves children ages 3-5 in pre-school, transitional, and Head Start programs.  It also serves many special needs students in those programs. Board members readily agreed that West Side is definitely in the long term plans of the district. While the building itself is structurally sound and well maintained, there are many issues that need to be addressed.

Much of the need involves space and programmatic requirements. For example, this fall teachers had to switch rooms the weekend before classes started in order to meet mandated square foot requirements per student. Most of the classrooms do not have bathroom facilities, while teachers contend with students who are not toilet trained.  The combination gym/cafeteria space, along with the adjacent kitchen is very cramped, but perhaps the most serious problem in that particular area is related to access and exit stairs that are simply not appropriate for the age group that is served. Storage space is typically provided in classrooms for this age group, but many students have to utilize hallway lockers .

The building (original section built in 1939) has a 1950's era boiler system that is very inefficient, as well as inadequate in its heat distribution to classrooms. Electrical systems are seriously under powered, which prevent the use of room air conditioners in most classrooms. However, it is anticipated that the electrical issues may be addressed next summer at an estimated cost of $80,000. But, that would not address the related air handling issues throughout the building.  And any remodeling efforts in the building would encounter asbestos issues.

While Superintendent Mike Haluska and Principal Rick Varney said the building is technically "certified" to operate its programs, the evaluative criteria regarding the facility rates the building such that it could never really get into a "good" category without major work. It falls far short in what would be defined as "best practices." The Board will continue discussions about the West Side facility issues as it continues similar discussions about John Cline.

Attractive media center

1950's boiler room

Cramped mulit-purpose space

Playground and outdoor learning center