School board hears results of listening sessions with staff, students and community members – Wadena Pioneer Journal

WADENA — The Wadena-Deer Creek College Board been given the first two of 4 data reports regarding possible facility upgrades to the nearby elementary and substantial schools that were commissioned from consulting group ICS during a work session on Feb. 1.

3 members of the ICS team presented details to the board that consultants gathered through a handful of January listening classes for school workers and administrators, college students and group users. Next, the consultants reviewed the final results of an “educational adequacy” evaluation of the district’s substantial university and elementary amenities, which was carried out by the firm’s consultants.

The ICS consultants will be back again subsequent week to be a part of the university board for an additional do the job session to deliver a lot more data such as a demographics report and a services assessment report, reported WDC Superintendent Lee Westrum, adding that all four facts studies will be critical to relocating ahead with any proposed facility upgrades.

At the very last get the job done session, the ICS consultants walked the board and college administrators as a result of a prolonged slide presentation a single display screen at a time, and discussed in depth how they acquired the information and what it intended. In full, the presenters satisfied with the board for 90 minutes.

The ICS consultants mentioned some main themes that were being widespread in the information gathered during the in-man or woman input periods with faculty team, students and community users were being that it seems all people is in agreement that parking at each college facility is a challenge, that updates to outdoor athletic amenities are needed, and that there is a want for extra instructional area for job and complex programs.

Addressing the “educational adequacy” report, the consultants instructed the faculty board that their evaluation demonstrates that facility improvements produced in the district in 2017 have resulted in fairly purposeful college facilities, both of those at the elementary and high school, but that there are some unique spaces in each constructing that could profit from updates.

Westrum said that the whole details of these two experiences, in addition to the reports on demographics and the facility assessment, will be shared with college workers and the local community once again in forthcoming periods hosted by the consultants. The function classes for the college board have been just a likelihood for them to start to wrap their heads all around the needs, wants and needs of all the stakeholders. Fundamentally, he mentioned, there nonetheless is a entire lot of reality finding still left to do just before any discuss about facilities updates moves ahead.

In opening the operate session, ICS account govt Lori Christensen shared with the board that much of the information they’ve collected has been read in advance of.

“I don’t feel there is just about anything earth shattering that you don’t know about,” she said just before the consultants presented the report.

Superintendent Westrum claimed dialogue over attainable facility upgrades in the district started past yr when the board commenced talking about creating improvements to outdoor athletic facilities these types of as the bleachers, concession stands, tennis courts and the monitor. He claimed it just produced sense to examine what other doable facilities upgrades were being wanted if the district planned to make improvements. And that has led to this actuality discovering process.

The board meets once again with ICS on Monday, Feb. 13.