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Bond could solve Hacker overcrowding
Mountain Home School District Superintendent Tim McMurtrey understands $37 million is a lot to ask voters for on April 29 to complete Phase II of the project to turn the junior high into a high school.
He also understands, however, if the district waits to complete the process, the cost will continue to increase and the district needs the extra space now.
Nowhere is that more evident than Hacker Middle School where 899 fifth though seventh grade students attend school.
In August, 946 students are expected to show up on the first day of class in a building with a maximum capacity of 926.
If the bond passes, the new high school would house grades nine to 12.
The current high school would then become a junior high and contain seventh- and eighth-grade students, leaving Hacker Middle School with only fifth- and sixth-grade students.
The state recommends a classroom size of 26 students. Currently, two of the school's three grades have more than 26 students on average in every class. With the expected size of next year's fifth-grade class, every grade will be over the recommended limit.
It's not just the classrooms that are overcrowded. McMurtrey explained the school district's challenge isn't only to find enough classrooms and teachers but also things such as: ensuring there are enough rest rooms available to students; whether or not the students will fit into the cafeteria or if the lunch period needs to be expanded or split into shifts.
Not only was the building not designed to hold so many students, but its location near a busy part of Mountain Home wasn't designed to deal with the amount of traffic the school generates.
Reducing the number of students in the building would decrease the amount of traffic associated with the school.
One less grade in the building would also reduce the wear and tear on the building, making its upkeep easier and less expensive.
McMurtrey also sees having two grades in the building so close in age as an advantage when it comes to discipline.
To help with the near capacity student load, temporary buildings have been added to accommodate the fifth-grade class.
To create extra space for classes, the school's stage and weight room were converted into classrooms. The wrestling program had used the weight room but now shares the gymnasium in the annex that was also converted into a classroom.
McMurtrey and Hacker's administrative staff are looking for solutions to handle next year's over-capacity class.
McMurtrey would like a solution that does not involve roving teachers. Roving teachers are teachers who are not assigned a classroom but rotate from classroom to classroom and are forced to move all of their books and other teaching supplies on a cart.
Hacker has not had to do that in the past and McMurtrey would like to keep it that way.
"It's not the best situation for everyone," he said.
Another solution that has been suggested but won't work is moving the fifth grade class back into the elementary schools.
Hacker opened up as a middle school in 1998 to help with overcrowding in the town's three elementary schools.
But now there isn't enough room in the elementary schools to move the fifth grade class back into them, McMurtrey said.
"It's to the point where we've got to get some of these things accomplished so we can be ready down the road," McMurtrey said.
The school district built the current junior high in 1998 with the plan to expand it into a high school within a few years. The plan was delayed when enrollment began to decrease.
Since enrollment has begun to increase again, the school district is pursuing the bond now.
The board tried to get a similar bond passed in September but failed by 73 votes.
The school board will try again on April 29.