The Poplar Bluff R-1 Long Range Planning Committee will present a plan for the future home of the Early Childhood Center to the Board of Education on Oct. 19. At Tuesday's meeting, the committee decided connecting the building to the Kindergarten Center made the most sense for the district, thus eliminating the second option, which was to place the new construction on O'Neal Elementary School's property.
Superintendent Scott Dill said the presentation will not be a directive for the board, but merely a suggestion brought forth by the community for its consideration.
Architect Benjamin Traxel of Dille and Traxel presented a theoretical layout of the campus at its proposed location. His drawing included logistical diagrams regarding traffic flow, including 112 new parking spots and an added third lane at the Kindergarten Center.
Traxel said on an average day at ECH, he counted about 96 parking spots being used and thinks the third lane would help ease the issues, which could occur during drop-off and pick-up.
Traxel said the building itself is an estimated 36,000 square feet. It includes 20 classrooms, five more than the current ECH, which is housed at the Mark Twain campus on Main Steet, and has 15 classrooms.
According to ECH Director Joanne Westbrook, there are currently about 70 students between ages 3 and 4 enrolled in the full-day program, which could accommodate 80. She said total enrollment is about 300, but the most students on campus at one time is about 200, split between morning and afternoon shifts. The Kindergarten Center has an enrollment of about 370, estimated Superintendent of Finance Rod Priest.
According to Traxel, a benefit of the proposed plan is the option for the Kindergarten Center to share its kitchen with ECH. Administrators said the current facility is equipped to handle the roughly 70-80 additional meals it would take to feed students in the full-day ECH program.
Board member Jerrod Murphy, who is not on the planning committee, attended last night's meeting for informational purposes. He said while he knows a new facility is a need, he currently feels neutral on the subject.
"It's not something I feel is imperative at this point in time," he said. "I know it needs to happen but we need to contemplate it for a while and really look at it before moving forward."
There are no plans to pursue additional public funding through a tax levy, according to Dill, saying the district will be able to afford the new facility independently.
Because the plan is in such early stages of development, no price estimates are available, said Traxel.
"As a board, we will make our decision collectively once we're presented with all the details, and we will definitely take into account the community's input," Murphy said. "But I do think if we're going to move forward with an early childhood, that's the best location and best scenario for us."
To estimate potential costs, assuming roughly $100 per square foot, a 36,000 square foot building could cost between $3-4 million before any interior work is done.
The Poplar Bluff R-1 Board of Education meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, in the Central Office Board Room.