What’s the future of early childhood education buildings in Hutchinson?
That’s the question Hutchinson Public Schools is trying to answer, and with a survey created by Springsted Inc, it is asking district residents for their thoughts.
“We are really asking them what their desires are,” said School Board Chair Josh Gehlen. “It really asks them about their preferences. We aren’t going into this with a preconceived notion of what should be done. We want to know their thoughts.”
So what’s the problem? The survey asks about Park Elementary, West Elementary and the ECFE building. One of the largest issues is that of the aging Park Elementary building, including its electrical and mechanical systems.
“They’re from a bygone era,” Gehlen said.
The school was originally completed in 1938. Additional sections were added in 1956. Today, the original construction can be seen on the south side, with newer areas on the north and northwest sections. Gehlen said the old building isn’t as compatible with newer technology as other buildings and doesn’t provide flexible space for various learning approaches. There is also the issue of comfort.
“If you get in there early in the school year or late in the school year, on the third floor, it gets very hot and hard for students to learn,” Gehlen said.
Passersby may spot brown panels above the windows, which are meant to reduce heat absorption.
Energy efficiency is an issue as well, in part due to the older windows without modern glazing.
The school recently took steps to improve security with a new, secure entrance thanks to money approved by voters in the same bond referendum used to renovate Hutchinson High School, but there are still shortcomings.
Gehlen said it would be better for students to be dropped off on a private drive instead of the city street they are dropped off on now. Deliveries are made to the back door of the building, which has a buzzer, but offers poor visibility from inside the school. Hutchinson High School has an electronic system with which the office can keep track of departures from other building doors. Park Elementary has no such system.
“We want to know what changes people want,” Gehlen said. “Is it technology, infrastructure, flexibility? We want to now what solutions, broadly, they’d support.”
School Board members Wednesday evening said that in order to make the survey as accurate as possible, the survey was being directed to specific residents to fill a representative sample of the population. That’s why callers may only ask to speak to one specific member of the household when calling.
