Iron Mountain Public Schools will seek public support May 2 to bond up to $16.93 million for several projects that would include demolishing the long-shuttered Central School and building a new elementary school at the site. (Betsy Bloom/Daily News photo)

By MAGGIE LANTHIER

Iron Mountain Daily Press

IRON MOUNTAIN — On Tuesday, Iron Mountain Schools hosted the first of four planned informal meetings to present information and answer questions on the district’s proposed building project.

The district is asking voters in a special election May 2 for approval to issue bonds in the sum not to exceed $13.93 million for a building project.

The project, which was approved by the school board in January, would create a 12,600 square foot early education center for children in early kindergarten and kindergarten, build a new 31,400 square foot elementary school for grades 1-6 and move the fifth and sixth grade students from the high school to the new school; renovate areas in the high school for new classrooms, specialized spaces and a board room; do renovations to the Izzo-Mariucci building including roof replacement, HVAC system replacement, new lighting, ceiling and flooring; upgrade the industrial arts building to include a special education lab, a digital media center, a district-wide records room and shipping and receiving area; and improvements to the Central School addition to upgrade the gym, bleachers, flooring and music room.

Superintendent Jerry Sardina opened the meeting by explaining the history of the board’s decision to have a building project. For the past year to 18 months the board has been considering a plan, which became “One Campus for Everyone — Bond 2023.”Several years ago the district lost a significant number of students. Statewide enrollment numbers are also declining. The district has conducted two enrollment studies — one two years ago and one a couple months ago — and each show the district’s enrollment has stabilized. In next 15-20 years the district will still be a multi-building district, Sardina said.

He explained that education has changed and the way schools teach has changed since he was in school in the 1980s, but a lot of districts are still doing things the same way and they are struggling to keep their doors open.

“We want to ensure the public the school district continuously improves. If we don’t improve we are going to lose students,” he said. “If we don’t change along with those changes, we lose students.”

The district has fewer students, but those students have greater needs. The district doesn’t have the space to offer the specialized services students need, and having to share specialized services with North Elementary wastes time during the day with travel between the schools. “We can’t accommodate North students like we should,” Sardina said.

He explained some staff members don’t have classrooms where they can conduct student services and meet with parents. They have to ask teachers if they can use their rooms during the teachers’ prep times.

He also believes they lose prospective families because when they drive up to North, it’s not appealing to them.

Breitung Township School is also considering a building project but it won’t be a early childhood center, so Sardina believes Iron Mountain will be able to offer programming that no one else does.

He also explained that discussion on consolidation between districts usually went nowhere. “No one wants to lose their identity of their community. Larger schools are more heavily represented,” he said.

Fixing what they have is important, he added, but Central can’t be fixed with today’s codes and education style. The district did try to sell the Central School building but was unsuccessful.

Sardina said the price to fix the building would be far greater than the approximately $600,000 cost to demolish it.

Parents love the idea of having one campus, he said. The early childhood center can provide a flexible schedule for the teachers and they can get to know the students and families.

“We’re presenting something the community can get behind. We can offer programming that no one else does,” he said, adding they have a donation to equip the digital media center.

Each new building would have a playground. There would be a parking area near the new early childhood center.

Sardina said there has been some interest by private parties in purchasing the North Elementary School if approved.

Someone asked if the project would affect the children’s museum and the walkway, which are part of the Central addition. The project would do renovations to the building, allowing daily use of the gym on the first floor, was well as providing other needed repairs. The museum would be not be affected.

Some one asked if American Rescue Plan Act money would be used and Sardina replied they had used some money for repairs at the football stadium and for new curriculums for grades K-12.

The bond would add a net increase of 2.45 mills, or $2.45 per $1,000 of taxable value, to the existing debt. After eight years the millage would be about the level it is now. Final payment on the new debt would be in 2048.

If approved, the process would start in spring. There would be a three-year completion target.

Marguerite Lanthier can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 242, or mlanthier@ironmountaindailynews.com.