West School to remain closed…permanently

The sign on the dry board inside the lobby of West School says “We will be back” but the Grand Forks School Board erased that thought last night.

The board agreed not to reopen the north side school which has been shuttered due to mold and air quality issues.  The school is also part of a larger discussion about consolidating West…Wilder…and Winship into a new building with Valley Middle School.

The current estimate to mitigate the building needs at West is $1.4 million dollars.  The district’s demographer projects the enrollment at the elementary school to remain in the 80’s for at least the next three years.

Superintendent Terry Brenner says they will start the ball rolling on retiring West.  Brenner says there will be some planning on a ceremony “for when a school comes to an end of life on behalf of the school and neighborhood.”

As part of a facilities discussion last night members agreed to an $86 million dollar bond referendum come June.  The district is also looking at increasing the building fund by 10 mills.   The results of a community survey showed support for both school consolidation and a bond issue.