By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
Preliminary discussions have been under way about the location for a potential new elementary school in Junction City. During a school board meeting last week at the Devin Center there were different viewpoints expressed.
Board of Education President Kristy Haden supported having a neighborhood school and observed that many elementary students walk to school. She also does not want to see anything near the Junction City Middle School or the new Junction City High School.
A facilities committee has also talked about this issue. Board member Jason Butler pointed out that conversation there has included putting the new elementary school near the new high school area. Student tardy concerns in some neighborhoods with walkability were noted.
"When you put the school outside of what you would traditionally think as a walkability thing then you are required to bus kids. All of a sudden if I have a school bus stopped in front of my house it's a lot easier to trust your kid to walk out there than to walk a quarter mile or half mile down the road at 6:30 in the morning when it's 22 degrees outside, "said Butler. He also added in theory you're increasing the ability for attendance,and socio-economic areas are being mixed so students have equality in the education that they're receiving.
Tardiness could still occur with a school out on the west side of town, but Haden also noted she still has an issue with not having a neighborhood elementary school. "So I think I'm going to have to see a lot of things, a lot of surveys going out, a lot of questions from the parents whichever one ( school ) we're going to look towards closing because there is still something about a lot of those kids walking, not wanting to sit on buses even if you're offering it."
Reginald Eggleston, Superintendent of Schools, noted that officials are thinking that growth could potentially occur in the subdivision across from Blue Jay Way near the high school, or in the nearby Olivia Farms area. If a new elementary school were put out there the District would need to purchase up to about 18 acres of land and look at building a facility there. On a list of District facilities and their age Washington Elementary School also received some comment during discussion by Board members.
There have not been any final decisions at this point on a location for a new elementary school. A lease purchase program could be used to help fund a facility.