School buildings discussed

I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.

Feb. 25, 1997

By Devlyn Brooks

Staff Writer

In an effort to increase public participation in the decision rather to renovate or rebuild either Lincoln Elementary School or the high school, the Bemidji School Board held a forum Monday to allow the public to speak its mind.

It was the first of several such forums scheduled, and spawned comments ranging from a definite need to build a new Lincoln Elementary School to the need of including discussions about new swimming pool facilities in any decision made about the high school.

Tom Schwartz of Bemidji, who said he was speaking on behalf of the swimming clubs and competitive swimming teams in the district, said the need for a new pool facility was evident.

"I was in high school when the first pool was built," he said, "and it seems it was a stopgap measure just to build a swimming pool."

Schwartz said he would recommend the district build a regulation, eight-lane 35-yard or 50-meter pool in any renovation or rebuilding project of the high school.

He said although Bemidji maybe a regional center for the small neighboring cities, it is not a center for the schools the swimming teams are competing with. He added a new pool might increase the possibility Bemidji could host summer Special Olympic events, as well as the winter events the city currently hosts.

"We often drive hundreds of miles to compete," he said. "We could just as well have them coming to us than us going to them."

Existing space issues about the classrooms in the district were also mentioned as concerns to the board.

Mary Fairbanks of Bemidji, a mother of children attending Lincoln Elementary, urged the board to build a new school, not just renovate Lincoln Elementary School because the school is in poor condition. Lincoln students often do not have adequate space when doing classroom exercises, she said.

Mike Furfaro, a district employee at J.W. Smith Elementary School, added that Lincoln was not the only school facing space concerns. In his school, Furfaro said there are 15 sections of students being taught in a building designed for 12 sections.

"We're well aware of the problems at Lincoln as well as at the other schools in the district," Board Chairman Jim Smalley said. "I assure you we're taking a look at our whole district, and as we do that we wouldn't leave out some area."

Holly Gregory of Bemidji said the district could not possibly renovate Lincoln because it was a "sick" school.

"I know it's a sick school, and you know it's a sick school," Smalley said. "And anybody who goes through it does as well."

Superintendent Rollie Morud said the architect D.L.R. Group of Minneapolis hired by the Facilities Committee would be meeting with high school faculty today to chart out what the district would want to do with any new high school facility. He added the public was welcome to meet with the architectural firm between 9 to 10 a.m. today. Those interested should contact Morud's office for more information.

Morud said the earliest a vote would be brought to the public should the Facility Committee deem it necessary, would be in the fall.

In regular session, the board:

• Heard a "Share the Pride" presentation conducted by the Area Learning Center staff.

• Heard an updated report about Minnesota's graduation standards.

• Approved the first reading of next year's academic calendar.

• Approved several requests to submit grants.

• Approved two certified staff appointments.