The Salina USD 305 School Board Tuesday evening at a work session approved project designs for improvements at five schools. According to the district, schematic designs have been approved for Coronado, Cottonwood, Meadowlark Ridge and Oakdale elementary schools as well as Lakewood Middle School.

The four elementary buildings will receive new kindergarten rooms, multi-purpose storm shelters and controlled entryways. Additional changes include

· Coronado: renovations to special services areas, replace displaced classrooms and additional parking

· Cottonwood: replace displaced classrooms and additional parking

· Meadowlark Ridge: replace displaced classrooms

· Oakdale: replace displaced classrooms and additional parking

Changes to Lakewood Middle School include a multi-purpose storm shelter and controlled entry. All building projects will have secondary needs identified which will be addressed only if the budget permits.

Site work such as surveying and geotechnical studies is underway for these projects and a tentative timeline has the projects being bid in December and early 2015. The start of construction will be staggered in the spring and summer of 2015. Construction on these four elementary schools will be completed during the 2015-16 school year. All-day kindergarten will be available in all elementary schools at the start of the 2016-17 school year.

“Designing learning spaces and developing secure entries and storm shelters for our buildings means a better learning and teaching environment,” said Bill Hall, superintendent. The five schools’ schematic plans, a part of Phase I, are being undertaken as a result of the $110 million bond approved in April 2014.

Three local architect firms (JGR; Bieberly Architects, PA; and DMA Architects) are providing design services.

· Coronado, DMA Architects

· Cottonwood, Bieberly Architects, PA

· Meadowlark Ridge, JGR

· Oakdale, JGR

· Lakewood Middle School, Bieberly Architects, PA