A special section of the Fillmore County Journal
Congratulating Rushford-Peterson Schools on the Grand Opening of their new school Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: August 19, 2017 • 10am
Rushford-Peterson completes new school; looks to future
Notes from Superintendent Ehler “It is extremely rewarding to have had the opportunity to serve as your superintendent during this historic time for the Rushford-Peterson School District and communities. I am indebted to students, staff, families and community members for the support they have shown and provided during the construction of the new school. It’s rewarding to witness the hard work by many to complete this very special project.”
“Our Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will be held on the 10th Anniversary of the Flood of August 19, 2007. The new school is a testament to the “Never Give Up” motto embraced by the community during the recovery process. It is fitting that it took us 10 years to secure our new building and that is has been a significant part of the rebuilding of our community.”
New school debuts state-of-the-art features After years of planning, the Rushford-Peterson Schools will welcome students this fall. An open house will take place on August 19, 2017, the 10th anniversary of the Rushford flood. All photos by Barb Jeffers By K irsten Zoellner kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
It’s been a lengthy process to get to this point and while it’s easy to get lost in the newness, it’s important to reflect on how the journey began; where the school has been, where it is headed, and most importantly, how it will serve the community and its students for years to come. The district has long known that something needed to be done with its facilities. In Rushford, a high school built stone by stone and board by board on Mill Street in 1906 and 1936 was aged with cherry-finished wood floors that ebbed and flowed like soft waves, creaking under step, and four levels of classrooms students trudged up and down to. For some, it was half of the charm of the old site. For others, it represented questions of safety of students on a main thoroughfare, aging amenities, and lack of handicap accessibility. In 1957, a one-level elementary school was added. Looking starkly modular next to the stone high school, it functioned, but limited any substantial growth by the district and restricted its early childhood education to cramped
A special section
quarters in lower level rooms. In Peterson, a district middle school constructed in 1953 kept its own problems. While it, too, functioned for the district, having a portion of students shuttled twice a day or more, as well as aging infrastructure, it served as further catalyst for those on the facilities task force to push for a single, all-in-one facility. After being denied state funding on two separate attempts, prior to recent referendums, the district formed a facilities task force to determine the future of district facilities. It was noted that should the district pursue renovation, the state would provide no additional funding. Bonding was largely considered to offer a detrimental tax impact on the communities, where agricultural property makes up roughly 70% of the tax base. The district lobbied the legislature for a change in Debt Equalization Aid that could provide as much as 55% of the project cost. In December 2012 a referendum was put to the voters, proposing a $15 million phased project to house early childhood through grade five. Further phases were proposed down the road, but not detailed. The referendum was
rejected by a vote of 993 to 658. Back to the drawing board, the task force considered the options and came to the conclusion that the best path forward was a new referendum. In May 2014, the state passed the Debt Equalization “Hail Mary” the district had been hoping for. A $38 million referendum for an early childhood through grade 12 facility on a 10-acre site owned by the district was put forth. In November, it passed narrowly in a 1,112 to 1,023 vote. By the following January, design of the project was underway. Several months later, plans were presented by the architectural firm of ATS&R and approved by the school board. The winning bid, by Wieser Brothers Construction, was approved September 2015. An official groundbreaking and community event was held a month later. Two years later, August 5, 2017, the district was handed the keys to the property. A coordinated, color-coded, three-day moving effort of furniture, curriculum, equipment, and countless additional items commenced that day. Spearheaded by ComSee R-P SCHOOLS Page 6
By K irsten Zoellner kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
August 19, the communities of Rushford, Rushford Village, and Peterson will get their first look at the newly completed Rushford Peterson School District facility. Rising against the backdrop of the white pine covered hillside, the facility encompasses elements designed to mirror the appeal of the river valley communities. Wood beams, natural stone, light flooding into each room through substantial windows and skylights, scenic viewpoints in all directions; all give the feeling of the site extending beyond the walls. “It’s got big city opportunity, with a small town feel,” said Community Education Director Lisa Lawston, who provided the Fillmore County Journal a private tour August 3. The 170,000 squarefoot, $38 million project is notably fluid and functional and Lawston indicates it was designed to be utilized with ease by a variety of people. More than 10,000 squarefeet larger than the previous combined facilities, it is now completely handicap accessible inside and out. A single elevator, also present in the previous facilities, will allow wheelchair users to access all areas. One of the first noticeable differences between the facilities is the main entry and security. Previosuly, security of staff and stu-
dents was limited to manually locking exterior doors. Despite the changing of locks and keeping of records of key assignments, it was noted earlier this year at a school board meeting that it’s essentially impossible to assess who might actually have a copy of a key. Several methods of security were considered for the new facility and the district chose to utilize a variety in cooperation. All exterior doors will be locked during the school day and the locking system is completely automated and programmed. Students will enter the school through main doors at the front of the building. If between the start and end of the school day, students and visitors will need to go through the main doors or the district office and be buzzed through the next set of locked doors by office staff. Additionally, district staff will have access to the building by way of a programmable key fob specifically assigned to them. A series of security cameras will be in place. District offices themselves are a noticeable change from the old to the new. Previously, the Rushford facility had two separate spaces for elementary and high school, while Peterson had one office in the center of the building. Communal office space was cramped See R-P FEATURES Page 2
congratulating all involved in the completion of Rushford-Peterson Schools!
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FILLMORE COUNTY JOURNAL
R-P FEATURES Continued from Page 1
and there was either shared or limited private office space. Now, not only are administration offices located at the front entrance, additional offices are located within their respective spaces. Conference rooms, a 100-seat forum room, centrally-located, lockable storage rooms, and a health services office were incoR-Porated into the design. While the district has no current plans to employ a nurse in the office, it provides a safe area for students, away from other students and staff, as well as the privacy required by HIPAA regulations. Previously, educational levels were both puR-Posely and geographically separate. “The design team was instrumental in looking at the needs of the district,” says Superintendent Chuck Ehler. “The location and having all stu-
Monday, August 14, 2017
dents in one building will provide for the integration of all grade levels. We have to continue to emphasize our school family and having everyone in one building will help foster cohesiveness among students and staff.” While the facility is all in one, offering that cohesiveness, it also provides each level its own aesthetic and identity. Early education and elementary classes are assigned the first floor wings, while the middle school and high school retain the upper levels. Designing room sizes was state regulated, but the district will have flexible room for possible expansion should enrollment numbers fluctuate. Lawston noted that classrooms, corridors, break out areas and common spaces were all mindfully decorated. Where rooms in the old facilities were lit mainly by fluorescent bulb and limited natural light, the new rooms are
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bright and flooded with natural light from ceilings angled up from interior to exterior to catch as much natural light as possible. Rooms are spacious, efficient, and occasionally connected through interior doorways or open corridors. In the high school and middle school areas, they are laid out puR-Posely keeping similar subject types together. All of the areas offer varying functionality, ease of visibility, and clear lines of sight for staff at all times, but still semi-private areas for less distraction. Students at the former facilities may remember all-in-one desks or tables and rigid plastic seating. Incoming students at the new site will be suR-Prised with multilevel and of varying type chairs, including attention-keeping stability ottomans and chairs, saddle stools, and traditional chairs and stools. Lawston again points out how they were designed and chosen for maximum comfort, longevity, and option for those using them. Even couches and booths comprise some commons and seating areas. Technology is easily one of the principal changes between the previous and new facilities and it was a clear goal in the design process. Wiring in the previous facilities was installed 20 years prior. The newest at the time, it was placed before wireless was a standard and although functional, it was outdated. “The wiring is the backbone of all the technology in the district, and without wire, you
can’t have wireless,” says Technology Director Corey Mattson. “To install new wiring in the old facilities would have been costprohibitive.” Students had district-wide wireless access as a part of the district’s mandatory 1:1 Chromebook Initiative, but the wireless had limited or unreliable coverage needed with the amount of access points. “Coverage was marginal, at best, for the class sizes,” adds Mattson. Those limitations have been removed by installing wireless in all educational areas rather than utilize access points. Hardware and cabling improvements, interfacing the internal equipment to the external fiber optics, will aid in providing a more reliable experience overall. Designers also took teachable technology further in the new facility. Walls in several of the middle and high school areas are painted with a special high-gloss
marker board finish, making use of space and eliminating the need for traditional marker boards. Each room boasts a SmartBoard and fully wired sound, including a microphone, if needed. Digital LCD displays will replace clocks calling out the time and any pertinent district message including important alerts. The displays can be altered with a few keystrokes from the office. Additional digital signage, iPad-controlled audio in the auditorium, and a more reliable public address system are also in place. “The district will address new technology as it arrives by what we’ve always done - research of the technology and its relevancy to our vision,” says Mattson. “Our new facility provides the robust infrastructure to make future adoptions of technology much smoother.” See FEATURES Page 8
CoNgRatulatioNS to the entire RP community on your New faCility. We are proud to have been a part of it.
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FILLMORE COUNTY JOURNAL
Monday, August 14, 2017
The FCJ reaches over 13,000 households each week.
A special section of the Fillmore County Journal Congratulating Rushford-Peterson Schools
on the Grand Opening of their new school!
An Official Legal Newspaper for Fillmore County
Monday, August 14, 2017
FILLMORE COUNTY JOURNAL
Page 5
Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: August 19, 2017 • 10am To see more information and photos go to www.r-pschools.com and scroll down to the quick links tab.
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FILLMORE COUNTY JOURNAL
R-P SCHOOLS Continued from Page 1
munity Education Director Lisa Lawston, the move was notably smooth and successful. Now, the efforts of those involved, including more than 70 volunteers has the school ready. “This was such a great project to work together on,” says Lawston. “There’s some minor items, little fixes here and there, but we’re ready,” adds Middle School/High School Principal Jake Timm. Right now, the school is expected to house 631 students in the 2017-2018 school year, a decrease from the 660 students enrolled in 2016-2017. However, Superintendent Chuck Ehler says the
Monday, August 14, 2017
district is anticipating an increase overall and attributes the decrease to a larger graduating senior class. While enrollment figures have stayed relatively static for the last five years, the district hopes the improved school facility will be another feature drawing new families to the communities. It is designed to house up to 825 students in the years to come, should the need arise. The district anticipates the facility to fill the needs of the community for the next 75-100 years, becoming the site of 21st century learning for the area. “We have been working on our public relations and hope that students and families will want to come and tour our new school.
An Official Legal Newspaper for Fillmore County accessibility and safety. So there is anticipation that a school with such features can encourage community growth.” Recent meetings including representatives from the three cities, the school, and the Chamber resulted in an opportunity to utilize the skills of R-P high school students to develop videos based on “taking root” in the Rushford Peterson Valley. “It’s something we’re hoping to continue in the future,” says Hengel. “We have discussed how we can collaboratively promote the many assets of the Rushford Peterson Valley and these assets have helped create a wonderful quality of life, whether you’re here raising a family, starting a business, or looking to retire
Our school has a rich tradition of academic and extra-curricular successes that will hopefully entice families to want to give consideration to attending R-P Schools,” says Ehler. “R-P has had a great school district for a long time, with strong community support from businesses, other organizations, residents and alumni. We believe a new school building can be a further draw for newcomers to this area or people looking to return to small town life,” adds Jennifer Hengel, Executive Coordinator for the Rushford Peterson Valley Chamber of Commerce. “Not only is the new building a beautiful, inviting structure, it’s also designed for learning, technology,
Congratulations on the new school!
in a town with nearly everything to meet your daily needs.” “I am happy to see the final stages of the new school being completed,” added Ehler. “I am confident that the new school will be something that everyone will be proud of. It has been great to see the momentum, interest, and support for the new school during the construction phase. We have been blessed with a building that will serve the future needs of our school district for generations to come. It embraces 21st century learning and enhances and maximizes learning opportunities for our students and staff,” he continues. See R-P SCHOOLS Page 7
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While the final figures for the school construction will not be available until paperwork wraps up in September, Tim Robertson, of ISC Consulting, representative and consultant for the district during construction, indicated the project was on budget. With 48.9% of the facility cost being paid by local taxes, the remaining 51.21% will be covered by the state. It is unclear if or when the district board of education might opt to begin saving for the next school, but it will likely not be within the next 20 years, the duration of the construction bond. Ehler indicated it has not
been a topic the board has discussed. After the referendum, the district continued to lobby legislators for new formulation in Debt Equalization that modified rates at which agricultural land was taxed. Previously, agricultural homesteads are assessed based on the house, garage, and one acre, with additional rates being charged per acre. With the passing of the Ag2 legislation earlier this year, district ag land owners will see a 40% reduction in their school tax on the bonding portion of their tax bill. There are still other unknowns as the district moves forward. Initially, it was deemed counterproductive to assess properties in
Monday, August 14, 2017 the area for sidewalks along Pine Meadows Lane and Eiken Drive. The school district owns the bulk of the property originally identified for pathways. The city of Rushford has twice been denied Safe Routes to School grant funds intended to place sidewalks and a trail system along the two streets, as well as Highway 43, west of the athletic complex. Some measures to the plans have been modified, but the city has indicated it will continue applying for the annual funds. In the meantime, the students will utilize grassy areas west and north of the athletic complex, as well as Eiken Drive as walking routes to the school. Redevelopment plans for the former facilities have also been
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discussed for some time. While the buildings are being considered for possible housing and community space, if a developer can be found, no formal determination has been made. ”We have nothing concrete at the present time but will continue our efforts to look at repurposing and reusing our current school buildings,” indicates Ehler. “We will be working on coming up with a plan to properly place our building in a storage type environment.” The cost of maintenance and utilities at the facilities will be the responsibility of the school district. Trophies, memorabilia, and the years of class and individual photos that lined the hallways from the days prior to the 1990
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consolidation of the Rushford and Peterson School Districts will have a new home as well. Items from Rushford will be given to the Rushford Area Historical Society, while Peterson Tigers memorabilia will be given to the Friends of Peterson Organization and likely displayed at the Peterson Museum. “It’s exciting to be on the threshold of opening our new school. It has been rewarding to see the work progress over the course of the past two years. I know that our students, staff, community members and people throughout southeast Minnesota are looking forward with great anticipation to getting a first hand look at your new school,” concludes Ehler.
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FILLMORE COUNTY JOURNAL
R-P FEATURES Continued from Page 2
“We have the technology that will encourage and support students and staff,” adds Superintendent Chuck Ehler. “The new school embraces various learning modalities. They will have a variety of learning environments to utilize and to support learning at all levels.” Student support will also been enhanced by the new library. Previously, library space in the schools was limited with a tworoom library in Rushford and a one-room library in Peterson. The new space features an efficient work space for staff, conference room, a tiered floor space for early childhood and elementary students, and reading nook, all on one floor in the heart of the facility. It’s been fully integrated for technology and features unique study areas. The facility is expected to offer additional academic opportunities needed by today’s student. According to Lawston, additional classes are
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already being considered and the district is shifting schedules from semesters to trimesters. Classroom specific improvements are another welcome upgrade at the new facility. In the older facilities, storage, ventilation, needed water or electrical supply, and safety features were occasionally absent or obsolete. In the science rooms, most notably the chemistry lab, features such as an eye washing station, chemical fume hood, electrical outlet availability, and sink and work stations aid in making a more efficient work space, as well as a safe one. In the industrial education areas, improved safety, air-flow, and work-related efficiencies are readily available. An emphasis on performing, fine, or visual arts is also clearly apparent updates. Ascending the main interior staircases, students and visitors will see a custom wall display area shared by the massive art room. Here, students will be able to show off their works of art. Also improved in the art department is specifically-designed stor-
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age, hanging outlet availability, added wash and work stations, and an in-room kiln. No longer stuck in lower level rooms, there are now sizeable, separate spaces for both choir and band students. Acoustics and room design were carefully planned. Adjacent to the music areas, a state-of-the-art, 400-seat theater will replace the squeaky seated, musty odor, and stifling lack of air that’s been described of the old theater. More than twice the size of the former, the new theater boasts a curved stage front for improved viewing, full sound and lights, and a generous, backstage scenery room. The backstage area is connected via large doors to the industrial education shop for easy transport of play staging. “I’m very excited for the performing, visual, and fine arts programs,” enthused Lawston. “I hope we can say that we offer the same benefits that were afforded to our athletic programs.” Those renowned athletic programs will also be receiving some improvements with the new school. Previously, athletic space at the schools was limited to the elementary gym, which doubled as the school’s cafeteria, the middle school gymnasium, which recently had exterior seepage problems, the high school gymnasium, which frequently lacked capacity, or the basement wrestling and weight rooms. The district boasted a contemporary athletic complex in Rushford, but it wasn’t adjacent to the school, being near the city’s Creekside Park. Further athletic facilities in
Peterson served as the sites for middle school sports. Now, the elementary gymnasium is just that and nothing more. It’s more than doubled in size and now has a 500-person capacity, locker rooms and a changing room. A room adjacent has been lined with wall mirrors and athletic flooring and Lawston indicated it’ll be utilized by the dance teams and possibly community education dance students. The high school gymnasium is designed as a “top down” gymnasium. Upon entering from the main floor of the school, spectators will be looking down to the gym floor. A wrap-around walking track up top will serve as a space for concessions and additional seating. The gymnasium now has a capacity of 1,100. Adjacent to the gymnasium is a fitness center, complete with weight room. Noticeably, more efficient, the room features westfacing windows and a spectacular view of the athletic complex, now across the street from the school. The athletic complex is expected to take on some upgrades as well. A three-phase plan has been put in motion to add additional areas to the complex. Phase One is already underway. Between the gymnasium and the main entrance and staircases, a large, lofted commons area will provide a meeting area for students and several gathering places tucked into the last of any available spaces. There was limited space available in the previous facilities for gatherings. The new cafeteria area gives off a café vibe,
similar to the commons-type areas of campuses. The kitchen will now feature two serving lines, creating better traffic flow. Energy consumption, particularly natural light, was also a goal of the new site. For years, the district has noted excessive heating and maintenance costs in its buildings. An 11-year average provided by the district shows $53,314.35 annual electric costs, $26,952.20 in sewer and water costs, and a significant $60,915.15 in annual heating costs between the three former facilities. Strategies to mitigate the issues were deemed cost-prohibitive. Efficient cost-saving enhancements at the school include energy-efficient and long-lasting construction materials, programmable zoned heating and air conditioning, and LED lighting. Costs for utilities at the new facility are not projected at this time, but will be monitored throughout the year. Any funds remaining from energy savings will now be placed into the general fund. “The new school has embraced the top three priorities that were established by the design team during the planning phase. They were natural light, functional flow to the building, and a quality constructed building. In addition to these priorities, the goal was to bring parts of the outdoors inside so that we could embrace the natural beauty of the river valley,” stated Superintendent Chuck Ehler. “I am happy to share with you that all these priorities and expectations have been met and exceeded.”
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Congratulations to our students, staff, parents and community members on our new school.
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Angela Shepard (EC-5 Principal) Lisa Lawston (Comm. Ed & Pre-School Director) Jake Timm (7-12 Principal) Chuck ehler (superintendent)