November 3, 2016 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Rendering courtesy of Shelton School District
A concept drawing depicts a new Mountain View Elementary School, which
would cost $24.5 million of the $64.7 million building bond voters will face
on Feb. 14, 2017.
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continued from page A- 1 "The people in the office can't see who
is coming in."
This is the first year at MountainNorwood, who teaches special edu-
View for Nelson, who has been a teach- cational resources, conducts speech
er and administrator for 30 years in therapy lessons in a former shower
Thailand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Mexico, stall. The tile-lined space still sports
Venezuela, Bali, Guam, Australia and a hanger designed for swimming suits
Myanmar. and a shower curtain for a door.
From the street, Mountain View Norwood points out that the school's
looks "well contained," Nelson said. occupational therapist has no place to
"It looks great on the outside .... It'steach - she has to work with students
on a nice big piece of land," he said. "It lying on mats in the hallway.
feels spacious." Norwood, who has worked at the
But inside the main building and school for four years, said she believes
the portables, students and teachers the bond will pass.
are feeling the "pressure cooker effect," "I'm very positive just from the
Nelson said. parents I talk to," she said. "There's
"They are isolated from their spe- so much parent involvement at this
cialists and their colleagues and me .... school."
It's just not conducive to ideal learning Suzanne Montgomery, a music
conditions," he said. teacher at the school for 13 years, also
The school has no "quiet area" where believes the bond will pass.
students experiencing emotional chal- "This is a community of really car-
lenges can "re-set," Nelson said. ing people," she said. "Even people who
"I think the students feel pressure, don't have much to give .... They care
especially the ones with special needs about the kids.""
or special learning plans," he said. Jill Jagnow, a third-grade teacher,
The entire student body cannot has been teaching in the building for
gather together in the gym because of 39 years. When she was hired in 1977,
fire codes, Nelson said. It should be to- the school housed about 300 students
gether, with the older kids serving as in kindergarten through sixth grade.
role models for the younger ones, he "I'd like to see a restroom for every
said. four classes," she said. "I'd like to see
The school is forced to have three a work room with computers in it for
lunch periods in the gym and accommo- staff." Doors that open between class-
date 200 students at a time. The stage rooms would allow collaboration and
in the gym is covered with supplies, "so team teaching, she said.
kids can't be on stage, which is impor- Jagnow points out that the school
tant," Nelson said. sports two bathroom stalls for the 45
The district's grade reconfiguration teachers.
would also send the fifth-graders to "We're just out of space," she said.
Olympic Middle School. Today's fifth- "Our library -- that houses our staff
graders "are huge," Nelson said. meetings and it's overflowing."
"They need to be with the middle- If the bond passes on Feb. 14, home-
schoolers," he said. " owners will pay $1.81 per $1,000 of
Kindergarten teacher Lisa Hopkins assessed property value. The faculty
has taught in the building for 32 years, would begin sharing ideas on the de-
Sunlight streamed through her class- sign concept for the new building three
room windows in the early years, but months later, Nelson said.
now the light is blocked by portables. Nelson said he would like to have
The bathrooms were adequate years project rooms between the grade class-
ago, but that's no longer the case, Hop- rooms, so students and staff members
kins said. can collaborate, interact and have one-
"There's not enough time for the on-ones not in the hallways.
kids to use the bathrooms during the Nelson is offering tours of the school
breaks ....We have 150 girls trying to to anyone interested. He can be reached
use four stalls in 15 minutes," she said. at 426-8564.
Security is also an issue in the build- "If we don't get the bond, we will
ing, Hopkins said. deal with it, but it will be tough," he
"The front door is blind," she said. said.
Thursday,
Derek Kilmer
U,S. Representative
NOV.
3, 2016
- Shelton-Mason County
Journal - Page A-23
Denny He¢k
U.S. Representative
"There's not enough time for the kids to use
the bathrooms during the breaks.... We
have 150 girls trying to use four stalls
in 15 " "
minutes.
Irate Bowlin9
State Representatwe
Lisa Hopkins, Mountain View Elementary School
kindergarten teacher