Duluth Schools Construction Tour

Paul Lundgren Jul 12, 2011 11 Comments

Duluth Public Schools just released a 53-page PDF (which takes a moment to load) titled “Duluth’s 21st Century Public Schools: Construction Tour, July 2011.” It includes updated construction photos of the district’s three new and six updated schools. Here’s a brief gallery for those too lazy to take on 53 pages.

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Photos

11 Comments

todobrillante

about 14 years ago 

Does anyone know what will happen to Ordean Middle School? It seems like a good spot for some college housing to develop - either privately or through the university. They'd probably have to switch the entrance from the more residential side street to Woodland Ave...but there's a lot of acreage there and it's right next to the college and Mount Royal shopping center.

B-man

about 14 years ago 

@todobrillante- I think you mean Woodland Jr. High School, not Ordean.

I'm sure ISD 709 will do something real fiscally responsible with it, like tear it down and build a golden statue of Keith Dixon licking the boots of Johnson Controls.

Paul Lundgren

about 14 years ago 

The district's plan is to sell the Woodland Middle School site. In May the Duluth City Council voted to put a preservation designation on an undeveloped portion of the site, which won't necessarily stop a sale, but it restricts what the buyer can do.

LB

about 14 years ago 

Now Duluth will have the smartest children. New buildings teach the kids right?

Paul Lundgren

about 14 years ago 

Well, there is a math lesson to be learned from the long-range facilities plan. Keeping all the old buildings open and fixing them would have cost more.

The new buildings will help teachers teach. For example, the science labs at Denfeld were outdated when I went there 20 years ago, and remained that way until now.

Lojasmo

about 14 years ago 

Psssht.  There you go again with phrases like "long term"

Deficit peacocks can't see beyond the tips of their noses.

Matilda

about 14 years ago 

Is that a 'math lesson'? Not exactly.

I question the economics, given that most of the information is provided and analyzed by individuals and groups with conflicts of interest of some sort.

TimK

about 14 years ago 

Matilda- did you attend any of the 100+ meetings before the Red Plan was approved by the school board? There was more community access for input for this consolidation plan than just about any undertaking this city has seen!

Christie

about 14 years ago 

I am surprised and pleased to see some people on this thread supporting the Red Plan. I myself supported it too. I grew up in the Duluth Public Schools and have children that will attend them. Now they will have state of the art schools to attend instead of old, drafty, albeit beautiful, but outdated schools. Laying off teachers is never easy and I truly feel for them, but the fact is the student population continues to decline. 

Paul was right, too, this plan saves money in the long run, and is long long long overdue. For too long the school board suffered from short-sightedness and quick-fixes. The Red Plan isn't perfect but its pretty darn good.

hbh1

about 14 years ago 

I support the building of new schools. (Believe me, I was in them every day--I saw what they were like.) I do not support building Piedmont up on the hill where basically no kids can walk to school--they will all have to be bussed now, which will cost a whole lot down the pike. I also do not support the fact that there is only one school in the Central Hillside now. While the buildings themselves are modern, the "plant" is still being built for a Cheap Gas society. No bike racks, big parking lots, and building away from neighborhoods is not forward thinking, I'm sorry. 

Also, class sizes are already too big. They are only going to get bigger (a national trend). This is a serious educational mistake and everyone knows it, and it should be protested at every turn.

hbh1

about 14 years ago 

Also--regarding Piedmont. I'll be interested to see if their attendance rates go down because of its location. Lots of kids in that neighborhood have overworked or overwhelmed parents without cars whose kids will now have no way to get to school if they miss the bus. 

I expect you'll see the same problem from middle schoolers who live in Morgan Park or the Central Hillside.

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