• The limited size of the site does not allow for expansion to accommodate 21st century educational needs.

• The ‘core’ areas are generally not adequately sized. This includes library, gym, food service prep areas, art/science, and music.

• The site is very ‘undersized’, with little on-site parking, resulting in parent/student drop-off/pickup/parking, staff parking, and bus drop-off/pick-up all occurring on the street. This lack of parking limits the size of school activities and has a negative impact on neighborhood traffic.

• The school lacks appropriate space to accommodate current learning activities that are typically found in classrooms today. For example, the use of differentiated instruction and small group/collaborative learning do not have appropriately designed space.

• There are no ADA compliant restrooms.

• Limited music rehearsal space means every 4th day kids are bused to Kennedy for a space large enough for students to rehearse. Due to the time it takes to transport students, there is lost instructional time, increased transportation cost, staff implications, and logistics issues when students return to school and fill up the lunchroom that is already in use with students who are eating.

• Places formerly used for storage are now used for teaching students - these are makeshift spaces that don’t have walls, they are shared spaces with room dividers. They aren’t ideal but they are better than having pull outs in busy, noisy hallways. 

• Roofs out of warranty and beyond life expectancy

• Exterior- masonry restoration, steel lintels at openings, painting and sealants- require upgrades Interior- doors, wire glass, carpet, water-stained adhered ceiling tile, roof access, restroom accessibility – require upgrades

• The school does not have sufficient space for needs such as pull-out student support services, professional development, or conferencing.

• Special education seems adequate but utilizes standard classroom space, which may not be right sized, and makes those classrooms unavailable for standard usage.

• The building has two entrances on two different levels which does not meet today’s standards for secure schools. 

• The kindergarten rooms are undersized per MDE square footage guidelines. Only the two 1st grade classrooms are an acceptable size per the guidelines.

• The school does not have sufficient space for needs such as pull-out student support services, professional development, or conferencing.

• Special education seems adequate but must utilize one standard classroom space, which may not be right sized, and makes that classroom unavailable for standard usage.

Since the buildings were built, many things in public education have changed. Some of these changes include:

• A need for flexible learning spaces that allow students to collaborate on group projects. Instruction best-practices have changed from rows of desks with inkwells to problem solving using a variety of tech devices in the classroom and in the hands of most students. Preparing students for jobs today requires educational spaces that lend themselves to aiding student learning, as well as replicating today’s work space environments.

• A need for facilities for those with physical disabilities - there were no accommodations for physically challenged students - ramps, doors that open with the push of a button, restroom doorways and fixtures don’t accommodate wheelchairs, stairways make areas of the facilities inaccessible.

• A need for right-sized spaces for special education programming for students with special needs. Individualized education in small settings didn’t begin until the mid-1970s.*

• Changes in child nutrition policy require additional kitchen space to prepare healthier lunches, and serving breakfast is another recent development, requiring double the storage space for food.

• Schools are asked to serve students and families differently, with social workers, school resource officers, and other support staff needing office space.

• In Fergus Falls, the community has changed. McKinley and Adams were built in the middle of neighborhoods where every home had a family with children who walked to school. Now, around 1 in 5 homes have school aged children, so buildings have been consolidated and students require transportation via a bus or the family vehicle. 

• The change in the community also means any school activity that involves families today means a parking headache for parents and neighboring homeowners.

*The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that supports special education and related service programming for children and youth with disabilities. It was originally adopted by the federal government in 1975. There are many disabilities, such as deaf and hard of hearing, sight-impaired, physical disabilities, mental disabilities – a broad spectrum of student challenges, and schools are required by law to provide accommodations to ensure all students have the opportunity for a quality education. In many cases, students with disabilities are mainstreamed into regular classrooms, but most are also called out of the classroom to spend time with special education teachers who work with children on specific instruction to meet their unique needs.

The main reason is the limited site space. If the site space was larger, we could add on to the schools to create larger learning spaces, and larger core spaces including library, gym, food service prep areas, art/science, and music. However, this is not a cost-effective solution. Just to complete required long-term maintenance projects on these facilities would cost $16 million. To add on to the buildings (if there was space) would approach the cost of a new building (but not be a new building which means much more costly ongoing maintenance expenses).

Site

• Replace sections of concrete pavement areas that are broken, pitted, and/or are a trip hazard

• Including the removal and replacement of metal railings where present/necessary

• Remove and replace concrete steps, concrete wing walls, and metal railings

• Steps do not have equal and proportional risers, or a trip hazard exist

• Clean and caulk expansion joint pavement cracks; both structural and/or parallel to building

• Remove and replace sections of asphalt pavement areas to improve drainage. Clean and fill

  asphalt pavement cracks and seal coat asphalt pavement areas

• Remove, replace, or mend chain link fence sections

• Correct drainage and low areas around the building to provide proper drainage away from the building.

General Building Condition – Exterior and Interior

• Roofs out of warranty and beyond life expectancy

• Exterior- masonry restoration, canopies, corrosion at lintels and doors- require upgrades

• Interior- doors, VAT replacement, carpet, roof access and restroom accessibility- require upgrades

• Roof ‘Tenting’- stress points masonry condition- requiring restoration/cleaning/repair, replace sealants 

• Roof Access by portable ladder – create interior ships ladder access.

•  Water erosion at base of masonry wall - require correction to divert water away

• Non-accessible sinks

•  Basement staff area- non accessible, material upgrades required

•  Old chalkboards/ tackboards- need upgrades

Food Service

• Revise kitchen to comply with hybrid central kitchen district model. Serving line to be replaced for adequate serving. Replace non-compliant equipment including wood cabinetry.

Mechanical

• In 2014 McKinley Elementary School had HVAC upgrades throughout the building. These upgrades include a central geothermal system provides heating and cooling to the building. The plant consists of modular water-cooled chillers and three sets of pumps to circulate water through the well, cooling, and heating loops. A rooftop energy recovery unit provides ventilation to the fan coil units. There are a total of 29 fan coil units and 2 air handling units which distribute supply air and provide temperature control. The building energy management system is direct digital control. 

The following are recommendation incorporated in the report:

• Replace all Gruvlok fittings

• Provide backup hot water boiler

• Replace old exhaust fans

• Replace domestic hot water heaters

In 2017 Adams Elementary School had HVAC upgrades throughout the building. These upgrades include a central geothermal system provides heating and cooling to the building. The plant consists of modular water-cooled chillers and three sets of pumps to circulate water through the well, cooling, and heating loops.  A rooftop energy recovery unit provides ventilation to the fan coil units. There are a total of 30 fan coil units and 2 air handling units which distribute supply air and provide temperature control. The building energy management system is direct digital control. A backup condensing hot water boiler was added in 2019.

The following are recommendations incorporated in the report:

• Replace old exhaust fans

• Replace domestic hot water heaters

Electrical

• Some electrical panels are original and need to be replaced.

Technology

• Replace technology cabling, which is older and does not meet current installation standards.

  • It was installed before there were standards, so it is installed improperly (i.e. running over light fixtures, which can create interference, unsupported laying on ceiling tiles, etc.).