Purpose

In 2019 the Ridgway School District Board of Education retained RTA Inc. to complete a Facilities Master Plan to assist the district in defining current and future facility needs. The Facilities Master Plan is intended to provide the school district with a strategic plan for addressing facility needs for the next 5-20 years. Input from all school district stakeholders is critical to this process to assist the district make informed decisions to enhance the educational environments for Ridgway students.

Phases

Master Planning Meeting Timeline

01/30/20 - Master Plan Kickoff Public Meeting
02/13/20 - PAT Meeting
03/05/20 - PAT Meeting
04/13/20 - Elementary School Staff Work Session (Pre K to 2nd & SPED)
04/15/20 - Elementary School Staff Work Session (3rd to 5th)
04/22/20 - PAT Meeting
05/05/20 - Secondary School Staff Work Session
06/04/20 - PAT Meeting
06/24/20 - PAT Meeting
12/03/20 - Planning Advisory Team Meeting #6 – Meeting Record (PAT Recommendations)

Planning Advisory Team

Meeting with the Planning Advisory Team (PAT) is the first step in the master planning process. The PAT & RTA have met approximately once a month since January 2020 to ensure close coordination between the master planning efforts and the PAT stakeholders.

The PAT members are listed below.

Julie Ahern, Shane Ayer, Jason Bojar, Mike Cassidy, John Clark, John Countryman, Jonathan Discoe, Thomas Emison, Wendy Fenner, Trish Greenwood, Krista Javoronok, Tammy Johnson, Marcia Kinne, Willow Krois, Susan Lacy, Greg Lawler, Preston Neill, Brian Patton, Jonathan Silvester, Lydia Van Arsdell, and Nate Wick

The Master Planning process also included critical feedback and input from the teaching staff at both Ridgway Elementary and Ridgway Secondary Schools.

A survey conducted in November 2019 provided valuable information about how district stakeholders understand the current school facilities.  The master planning discussion and solutions reflect a desire to address key issues identified in this initial survey.

Elementary School Survey Highlights

• The desire to improve education spaces that will support 21st-century learning
• The desire to renew the building appearance
• The desire to improve the HVAC and electrical systems
• The survey identified spaces like the library/media center and the playgrounds are satisfactory as they currently exist

Secondary School Survey Highlights

• The Ridgway community would like to improve athletic and track facilities
• Improvements to the commons/cafeteria are needed
• A solar panel project to offset power usage is desired

The PAT & RTA explored wholistic building needs, but also have directed our efforts at these core objectives.

Click this link to review the 2019 survey results.

Together, the PAT and RTA considered many options and have arrived at preferred alternatives E1 & E2.2 to address issues at the elementary school and a potential project list to address issues identified at the secondary school. Shown on the Preferred Alternatives page, these two options for the elementary school and the list of improvements at the secondary school are still in development.  We are seeking the community's feedback in order to finalize the recommendations that the Planning Advisory Team will make to the Board of Education.

Ridgway Master Plan Report