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Elementary school reports space crunch; board asks principal for prioritized options
Summary
Elementary Principal Tony Dahl told the Operations Committee that an extra 4th‑grade session has created classroom shortages—music is taught in the cafeteria and guidance in a hallway—and the board asked him to produce a prioritized list of short- and long-term solutions.
The Operations Committee of the Mineral Point Unified School District Board of Trustees heard March 2 from Tony Dahl, the elementary school principal, about an immediate shortage of classroom space at the elementary building.
Dahl said the addition of an extra 4th‑grade session this year has pushed classroom capacity beyond available rooms: "Music is being taught out of the cafeteria, guidance is taught in the hallway," and the district currently would not have space if an additional 2nd‑grade section is added next year. He proposed exploring moving the fifth grade (four sections) into the middle/high school building as one option and asked about available instructional spaces in the MS/HS facility.
Trustee Matt Austin described current uses of MS/HS rooms — including project-based learning (PTLW), choir, art, business, technical education, the 'Blue Room' and special education rooms — and explained limitations to converting those spaces for additional elementary classrooms. Trustees discussed several short‑term approaches: keep the current configuration, reconfigure next year’s 3rd and 2nd grade sections, or rent portable classrooms while planning any structural changes to the MS/HS building.
The committee directed Principal Dahl to prepare a prioritized list of potential solutions, including staffing and space implications, and to share that list with the board for follow-up.
