School board talks big picture with Mahlum

Orcas School has begun to define its intentions for improving school facilities.

Mahlum, the architectural firm hired by the school board to make drawings for the bond they will seek in February to improve the school facilities, sat down with school officials on Wednesday, October 28 to hear the intended vision for improvements.

As they sat at a round table in the dated Home Ec room, architect David Mount and Mahlum partner Butch Reifert heard big picture ideas. Ideas included refinishing tennis courts in Buck Park, replacement of the football field and creating a track in that space, replacement of school buildings, and creation of a career and technical education building as well as upgrades to the high school, the old gym and the elementary school.

The Seattle-based firm has designed many educational facilities. Reifert reiterated mindfulness to resource conservation. Mahlum employed green building practices in their work at Evergreen State College, Pacific University, and University of Washington.

"I firmly believe this. Buildings that are designed to teach out of can also teach," Reifert said, noting that learning in a green-built environment inspires students to employ what they learn about sustainability.

The task of the architects is to come up with images that convey the spirit of the project and to provide sketches to communicate to the voters how the bond would be used.

Bond committee member Marian O'Brien said she fell in love with the school because of the people and programs, but that it was a "sad, little school" and it was time to rebuild it.

Superintendent Barbara Kline announced a community visioning meeting for the project. The public meeting will be held November 18 at 5:30 p.m.

"Often we get a chance to change something," Reifert said. "It's important to realize what doesn't need to be changed."

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