WILLMAR -- Starting today, residents of the Willmar School District have a chance to weigh in on how the district should handle long-term maintenance needs at its elementary schools.
A survey will be available on the district's Web site, www.willmar.k12.mn.us , until Nov. 24. The survey takes a few minutes to complete. It can be found on the left side of the screen under the "New" heading.
People without Internet access may complete a paper copy of the survey at the district office in the Willmar Education & Arts Center, 611 Fifth St. S.W. The paper survey will be available at the receptionist's desk through the close of business Wednesday.
A 2004 study of the district's facilities uncovered a number of maintenance issues that will need to be addressed over the next decade. They include problems with ventilation systems and windows in need of replacement. Handicapped accessibility is another issue, along with technology needs.
Since then, the School Board has conducted a number of public forums about the district's facility needs. At those forums, the discussion has sometimes turned to whether it would make more sense to build a new elementary school rather than repair some of the older, least efficient elementary buildings.
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Laura Morris of Willmar, who served on the School Board in the 1990s, developed the survey and will present the results to the School Board early next year. The survey project is part of her graduate program at St. Cloud State University, where she is working on a master's degree in public and non-profit institutions.
The survey is designed to gauge the public's awareness of the needs and to get an idea of how residents would like to proceed, Morris said.
When Morris approached her about working with the schools on a project, "I was thrilled to think this could be a natural next step for gathering public perceptions," said Superintendent Kathy Leedom.
Information from the survey could provide a starting point for the next series of forums on school facilities early next year, she said.
Morris has planned a series of focus group meetings, too. She will meet with some elementary PTSA groups, a service club and people who are participating in early childhood programs.
In focus groups, Morris said, she will ask deeper questions about how to build a larger school that has a "small school feeling" and whether the district should try to build a "green" school that uses alternative sources of energy. Another issue to consider is making a building inviting to the public while keeping it a safe, secure place for students.
Leedom said the survey will provide more information for the School Board as it moves toward making future decisions about building maintenance needs.
