School board to explore Pinon Hills portable option

Pinon Hills Elementary School may be getting a portable to alleviate overcrowding, but not before the new school year starts.

On Tuesday, board members voted 4-1, with board members Karen Chessell and Sharla Hales absent, to investigate potential funding sources for a portable at the North Valley school.

Included in the motion was a directive to research the potential impacts of adding a portable versus the impacts of rezoning. Board member Teri Jamin objected to the measure and voted against the motion.

"I don't agree with rezoning," she said. "There's no point wasting staff time on differentiating between the two."

Last fall, Pinon Hills was the only elementary school in the Valley to see an increase in enrollment, gaining 24 students. Built in 1996, the school this year had 531 students split between 20 classrooms, including three team classrooms with two teachers each. A third pod for the school was never built, and the current structure was designed for 475 students.

"There's no doubt in my mind that there should be a portable at that school," said board member Keith Roman. "If the money is available, we should put up a portable."

Chief Financial Officer Holly Luna presented several price options. A 1,680-square-foot used portable, able to be split into two classrooms, would cost the district $65,814 to lease for a year, taking into account a pledged $20,000 contribution from the Pinon Hills Parent-Teacher Organization. A brand new 1,440-square-foot portable would cost $112,813 with the PTO contribution.

District staff recommended postponing any action until the facilities master plan is in place. Luna pointed to similar overcrowding problems at Jacks Valley and Scarselli elementary schools.

"There's not just a singular need at Pinon Hills Elementary, but needs at other sites," she said. "The most fiscally responsible action is to not take action until the master plan is in place."

Before portables were discussed, board members approved a contract, not to exceed $200,000, with MGT of America, a consulting firm that will spend the next six months developing a facilities master plan for the district.

The board expects the plan to provide an overview of all district facilities, to identify specific needs and future options, such as selling the now-empty Kingsbury Middle School, or moving Valley ninth-graders back to the high school, or potentially closing one elementary school if declining enrollment continues.

"The master plan is seriously needed in terms of advice and guidance," Superintendent Carol Lark said. "We need a plan in place to guide us as we make these difficult decisions."

Pinon Hills parent and PTO member Ron Santi agreed that the district needs a master plan, but he questioned why it will take $200,000 to create one.

"Master planning is not rocket science," he said. "We have well-paid staff, very educated staff; we're all very educated and know what the needs are. Why spend $200,000 to do a job I think can be done in-house? A master plan is needed, but not at that expense."

Santi also said it's unfair to compare Pinon Hills to Jacks Valley and Scarselli, as the former has four more classrooms than Pinon, and the latter five more.

"We need to act right now, and we need to address where we're at today - 531 kids," Santi said. "The history of enrollment at Pinon Hills over the last five years is that it only goes in one direction - up."