Future of West Lafayette Community Schools

We have received comments about the current lack of sufficient program space in the existing, educational facilities. Each of the buildings is affected to a different degree. The current layouts of the existing facilities are not conducive to easy flow though the facilities or collaborative educational experiences. Modifications to the buildings should strive to ease the flow, improve the zoning of activities, and simplify the internal connections to primary activity areas.

Cumberland Elementary has a 33,000 square foot deficiency which is primarily found in the larger activity spaces such as the gymnasium, media center, and cafeteria. Although there is a deficiency in academic areas, re-purposing of existing space, in conjunction with additional area could result in a more efficient layout and overall operation.

Happy Hollow has been transformed several times to respond to different types of grade level structures. The current 27,000 square foot deficiency in program space, combined with the multi-story construction and problematic mechanical system may point toward an alternative approach to solving both the space and facility conditions.

The Burtsfield Gym could provide a wide variety of opportunities, ranging from an early childhood center to a more expanded educational delivery.

The Junior/Senior High School is approximately 97,000 square feet deficient, and the assessment has identified that this deficiency is primarily due to a lack of capacity in the current pool, auditorium, gymnasium seating, cafeteria, and support spaces such as storage, work areas and conference/ administrative areas. Academic areas at the Junior/Senior High School are currently at capacity; however the current student loading is low, and there are opportunities to increase capacity through minor increases in student loading or through redefining utilization of existing spaces. The most significant deficiencies at this building can be found in the limited size of the site and the mechanical and electrical systems. Greater operational efficiencies in the mechanical systems would result in improved indoor conditions and utility consumption.

The next phase of the process will explore options to expand the facilities to better meet the program needs. This will include “re-purposing” existing spaces for more appropriate utilization as well as additions to support the educational objectives. One of the most critical issues to explore and evaluate will be the impact of any construction on the operation of the existing facility.

The process will involve evaluating the feasibility of adding space, repurposing existing space, or even demolishing or eliminating space that is no longer viable due to its condition or configuration. The primary drivers will be the impact on the students and staff, during the construction or renovation process, combined with the cost and overall feasibility of the resulting space. Adaptability to future needs and programs will have strong consideration during the exploration phase of the process.

Collaborative spaces that incorporate increased natural light, and connectivity to activity zones will be important elements to consider and try to incorporate into the proposed options.

Conditions, such as adding additional floors to an existing facility are excellent ways to provide additional area with minimal impact to the existing site conditions. However, vertical expansions present challenges of safety and protection of students and staff during the construction. The existing structures in all of the existing buildings would not support additional floors. One individuals providing comments suggested.it would require new columns, extending through the existing structure to a new foundational base to carry the new construction, independently of the existing frame. This would, however, help to address the limited site conditions at the Junior/Senior High School. The determining factors would be based on both the cost of the construction, as well as the disruption of the existing activities in the existing space during the construction process. Because there is a deficiency of space as each of the facilities, there wouldn’t be anywhere to accommodate students or staff during this process which could extend over many months.

The study will also address ways to expand the utilization and opportunities at Leslie Field. Incorporation of music facility that could double as expanded seating or practice areas are options to be explored.

The demographic study will help the school corporation address the extent of additional capacity required for the future.