Welcome!

Thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourself with the process and future goals of Platte Canyon School District!

In July 2021, Platte Canyon School District began the journey of developing a Facilities Master Plan, to serve as the framework for change and future decision making. This plan was created in collaboration with the school board, district personnel, parents and the professional planning and design team. This original Master Plan Information can be found at the links below.

Following community sentiment and input regarding the two previous bond initiatives, the Platte Canyon School Board asked that a new approach be studied to fulfill the desired strategic plan of district consolidation. In early January of 2023, Platte Canyon School District assembled a Planning Advisory Team to review the Master Plan and look at updating the options for consolidation of School District facilities. Throughout the process, the goal of consolidating facilities remained the focus of the group. As a result, steps towards consolidation were identified and agreed upon. The 2023 Master Plan Update information can be found at the link below.

2023 Master Plan Update

 Process Overview    Research & Investigation     Master Plan     Implementation 

   2023 Master Plan Update

Quick Links / Additional Information

BEST Program Information
Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Assessment
School District Website

Process Overview

Platte Canyon School District retained RTA Architects in July of 2021 as the planning and design team to assist in the creation of a Facilities Masterplan. The District serves approximately 925 students within the community of Bailey, Co. The intent of the Facilities Master Plan is to evaluate existing facility conditions, understand current and future enrollment projections, and review the educational adequacy for each grade level served. With steady input from the District and community members, the final document provides a road map to assess and identify the needs for facility and capital improvements in the near and far future. The master capital planning process considers the condition of all district facilities, including school campuses, district offices, and bus maintenance buildings. The District values the importance of facility maintenance to keep standards high, prevent failures and maintain reasonable operational costs. They believe the facilities must be maintained to support current and future educational needs to ensure student success.

The master planning process is both investigative and exploratory. It is essential to identify and understand how the existing conditions align with the District's Vision, explore options, and set goals that support current and future program offerings. The process is a fully collaborative effort between the school board, school district, parents, and the professional planning and design team. The final product serves as the foundation for facility planning, but it is considered a constantly
evolving, "living" document. As items are completed, and future needs are discovered, the document will serve as a guide for rational decision-making with respect to short and long-term goals.

The final Master Capital Plan is a complex document that requires input from many people's diverse talents and perspectives. A Planning Advisory Team (PAT) was created to consistently participate in planning efforts and met regularly throughout the duration of the planning process. The team represented the School District, staff, and the Bailey community.

Planning Advisory Team (PAT)

The Planning Advisory Team (PAT) is a specially convened group of stakeholders that provide context, creative input, and critical feedback to shape the framework for the master plan strategy. The group includes members of the School Board, parents, community members, and school district employees. The team brings a broad background of knowledge and expertise, including construction, school facility maintenance, general business, local policymaking, real estate and development, financial management, and more. The PAT met four times during the master plan process and later represented the master plan at school board meetings and community meetings. Their efforts were invaluable to the process for defining project priorities within the School District.

 Thank you to the following for your commitment and participation in the PAT:

PAT Schedule & Meeting Records 

Quick Links / Additional Information

BEST Program Information
Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Assessment
School District Website

Research & Investigation

The research and investigation portion of the master plan is a comprehensive effort to fully understand the physical condition and educational adequacy of existing District facilities. The information that follows is a result of reviewing existing building documents, completing Principal surveys, district staff interviews, and multiple site visits and surveys by architects, engineers, and contractors. The information below becomes the basis on which the Master Plan is built.

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Identified Facility Needs

It is imperative to the master capital planning process that the condition of the existing district facilities is accurately assessed and objectively quantified. The following were steps taken to accurately assess and quantify the condition of the existing facilities.

• Review facility condition information: Existing building drawings and documents were reviewed and compared with existing conditions. With the help of district staff, already occurring issues were also identified and documented.
• Identify Current Problems: The assessment team included architects, engineers, and contractors familiar with the facilities in Montrose County School District. Through facility walk-throughs and observations, the assessment team reviewed and tabulated the existing conditions of the site, building, and MEP systems which revealed a list of attributes and deficiencies.
• Evaluate and prioritize deficiencies: The facility assessment broke down the deficiencies into detailed individual items that can be evaluated for cost and scored based on specific criteria. Each deficiency item was given a score based on a mathematical calculation of three levels of criteria:
  • The first criteria (Level 1) is the assessment rating. This identifies the potential timing of failure and goes from “requires immediate attention” to identifying the item as simply an “improvement item”.
  • The second criteria (Level 2) is the category of concern. This identifies the type of problem or concern and includes 11 categories. This includes high priority items such as life safety issue or potential for damage to the building down to less urgent concerns.
  • The third criteria (Level 3) is the consequence to inhabitants or the building based on the current condition of the item. Level 3 includes eight different descriptions used to identify the seriousness of the issue, “What happens when failure occurs?”.

• 0-25 Category - This category requires creation of an action plan to address these items within a short period of time as determined by the owner.
• 26-50 Category - This category does not require immediate attention, but an action plan to address these items in the next 3-5 years should be considered. These items have not failed and generally do not pose an immediate risk to the building or occupants.
• 51-100 Category - This category identifies long-term items, or items which may not affect building or program operation, but planning should occur to re-evaluate and address these items in the future. Typically, these items require attention within the next 5-10 years.
• Over 100 Category - This category typically identifies other long-term items, or items which will not affect building or program operation but have been identified by the assessment team or owner as very long-term items.

The following link provide a more detailed description of the Matrix Scoring System.

Assessment Data Summary

Assessment Matrix Scoring System

 Deer Creek Elementary School Findings

The Deer Creek Elementary School was originally constructed in 1973. The building has had a couple of building additions over the years. The building is in poor condition and is need of upgrades of many buildings systems. The mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are aging and are in need of major repairs and upgrades. Building finishes also need upgrades. As a result, annual costs for maintenance and repairs continues to be problematic for the district. The building is also missing some safety upgrades that would be standard in school construction. The building needs a sprinker systems to meet today’s code requirement, and the building is missing an ansel fire extinguishing system at the kitchen. Site upgrades include improved accessibility, paving and compliant playground surfaces.

The school operates out of seven separate buildings. The pre-k program is located in three portable buildings and other functions such as music and book rooms are also in portable buildings. Students moving from building to building during the school day is a safety concern for the district.

The State of Colorado uses an FCI or Facility Condition Index score to evaluate school buildings across the state. The FCI is calculated by taking the total cost of building repairs divided by the replacement cost of the facility. The Deer Creek elementary school FCI score is .87 and one of the highest in the state. If the FCI score is above .5, the state looks at the facility for major renovation or replacement. If the score is above .66 replacement is more likely. 

 Download School Summary:

Deer Creek Elementary School

Fitzsimmons Middle School Findings

The Deer Creek Elementary School was originally constructed in 1979. The facility has some major building systems that are aging and in need of replacement. Building finishes including carpet, paint, resilient flooring, and wall coverings need replacement. Mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems are also in need of replacement or major upgrades. New LED lighting, and power distributions systems and upgraded fire alarm systems are needed. As a result of the assessment completed by the engineering assessment team, their recommendation is to replace the entire mechanical system. Site improvements include new paving, accessibility improvements and.

As with the elementary school, Fitzsimmons MS is aging and requires constant repair and maintenance.

The FCI score for the middle school is combined with the HS facility. The combined score is a .25. Because the HS is in good shape, the poor condition of the MS facility is not as apparent in the combined FCI score. 

 Download School Summary:

Fitzsimmons Middle School

Platte Canyon High School Findings

Platte Canyon HS was built in 2000 and is the newest building within the District. In general, the building is in good condition. The building has a student capacity of 651 students with the current enrollment at 254 students. Although the building is in good condition, there are some systems that need to be improved. The building needs updated low voltage and security systems along with new LED lighting systems. The engineering assessment team noted that adding a chiller plant could make the mechanical systems more efficient. Kitchen equipment is also dated and should be reviewed for replacement.

With the low student enrollment there is an opportunity to look at curriculum and how it fits within the building. There may be an opportunity to utilize the additional space. The large open collaboration spaces can be studied as an opportunity to improve student instruction. This improvement could be as simple as evaluating furniture options. 

 Download School Summary:

Platte Canyon High School

District Administration / Pool Building Findings

The District Administration / Pool Building was originally constructed in 1957. The facility has had a couple of building additions in 1965 and 1978. The original building functioned as the Jr/Sr High School until the middle school was built in 1973. The pool portion of the building was added in 1978. The building currently includes the district administration. It also includes MS/HS physical education, music classes, gymnasium, locker rooms, and some CTE programs. This forces students to walk between the MS/HS facility and this building for classes during the day. The district is concerned about safety of students moving between facilities.

The building is in poor condition and is need of upgrades of many buildings systems. The mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are all aging and need major repairs, upgrades, and replacement. Building finishes also need upgrades including flooring, paint, and ceiling systems. Accessibility upgrades are also needed including compliant restrooms, locker rooms, and door hardware. The building exterior is in poor condition and need exterior replacement including doors windows and roofing materials.

The Administration / Pool Building is aging and requires constant repair and maintenance. 

Download Summaries:

Admin & Pool Building

Other District Facilities

Sports Fields and Stadium
The sports fields and stadium were constructed in 2000. The stadium is in good condition and continues to be a good venue for school sports and activities. Minor upgrades and repairs to the press box are needed and the track surfacing has reached its useful life and should be replaced.

Bus Repair Shop
The repair shop was originally built in 1953. The building was originally built as a pole barn and is in poor condition. The building constantly floods and has mold issues. Based on its poor condition, it is recommended that this facility be replaced.

Rosalie Site
The Rosalie site is a 73 acre district owned plot of land located on Rosalie Road south of Highway 285. The site is currently shared with the town of Bailey and includes a city frisbee golf course and hiking and biking trails. The golf course is currently managed by BOERA the Bailey Outdoor Education and Recreation Area. The land has been studied by the district over the years for potential development. In 1995 the district studied an idea to place a new elementary school on this site. Because of its remote location, narrow access roads, lack of utilities close to the site, limited building area and overall cost for development, the site is not ideal for a school site. The property has not been developed by the district. 

Download Summaries:

Sports Fields

Bus Repair Shop

Rosalie Site

Environmental Considerations

During the planning advisory team meetings environmental concerns were discussed. The risk of wildfire is high throughout Park County, and it was important to weight the risks of each site.

Each property was assessed using the Platte Canyon Fire Protection District's CWPP which highlighted the safety risk posed at the Deer Creek Elementary School site. This site essentially has one way out and surrounded by dense residential woodlands. The Platte Canyon site has its own risks but in terms of wildfire safety it sits next to the designated shelter in place site.

The team also reviewed local traffic issues beyond the know 285 traffic. CDOT has plans to remove the single traffic light at the intersection of CR43 and 285 which will make traveling to Deer Creek Elementary a bit less convenient for local traffic.

Quick Links / Additional Information

BEST Program Information
Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Assessment
School District Website

Proposed Master Plan

PK-12 CONSOLIDATED CAMPUS

The PK-12 master plan option recommends the consolidation of all PCSD students into one facility. It proposes a campus reconfiguration that will ultimately reduce the maintained campus square footage by over 35% or 89,000 sq feet and eliminates the travel distance between two separate campuses of 8 miles.

The middle school and high school will be consolidated into the current Platte Canyon High School building built in 2000. Current enrollment for middle and high school students combined is 426 students and the high school building has an educational capacity of 651 students. There is still room to grow even when 6-12 grades are consolidated. This building is the newest and in the best condition of all district facilities. It will require only minor renovations to achieve the middle/high school program consolidation including select paint, carpeting and minor door and wall re-configuration at the classroom groups.

The aging Fitzsimmons Middle School will be demolished and, in its place, a two-story elementary and preschool addition will be added to the west to complete the transformation of Platte Canyon High School into a PK-12 facility. PK-5 enrollment is currently 413 students which brings the potential PK-12 building enrollment to 829 student. The existing kitchen will be shared by all students with a dedicated eating area for the elementary school grades and the former Fitzsimmons Middle School gymnasium will be re-purposed as the elementary school gymnasium.

A gymnasium addition is proposed to the east of the current Platte Canyon High School building which will house a shared middle/high school gymnasium, locker rooms, a stage with an adjacent drama room, a music room, a fitness room and the consolidated administration offices. This addition will improve student safety by eliminating student travel across the parking lot on a daily basis to the high school gymnasiums, auditorium and fitness facilities currently located in the administration building. The consolidation of facilities allows the District to consolidate administration space, student resources and other shared educational resources such as the library, art, music, gymnasium, and special education spaces.

 Program and Preliminary Test Fits

In order to test the proposed consolidated PK-12 facility, space charts were created. The charts are used as a tool to define space needs for all levels, but also verify student capacity and overall fit within the proposed option. The following links take you to the space chart spreadsheets for both the PK-5 portion of the facility and the 6-12 portion of the facility.

K-5 Space Program    6-12 Space Program

Preliminary Conceptual Site Plan TEST FIT 

The following site plan is used for TEST FIT purposes only.
All future improvements are subject to stakeholder input through a future planning process. 

Preliminary Conceptual Floor Plan TEST FIT 

The following floor plan is used for TEST FIT purposes only.
All future improvements are subject to stakeholder input through a future planning process. 

Quick Links / Additional Information

BEST Program Information
Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Assessment
School District Website

Strategic Plan for Implementation

The plan for implementation is an effort to organize the identified the proposed master plan along a timeline for completion. Below is an outline that begins to focus on a strategy for completing the proposed project identified in the master plan.

2022 Bond Election
For the master plan project to be fully funded, a bond election will be required. It is anticipated that the Platte Canyon School District will pursue a bond election in the fall of 2022 to generate funds to complete the proposed project.

2023 BEST Grant application
The Platte Canyon School District will pursue a BEST Grant in early 2024 to supplement funding generated by a successful bond campaign. The BEST grant is a matching program and will match up to 29% of funds generated by the school district.

2023-2024 Building Design
Upon successful bond campaign and BEST grant, design of the project will begin in the fall of 2023 and finish in the spring of 2024.

2024 Building Construction
It is anticipated that construction could begin in the Spring of 2024 with completion in the fall of 2025.

Current Projects

Quick Links / Additional Information

BEST Program Information
Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Assessment
School District Website