Plains School District receives grant for campus expansion

PLAINS – After over 40 years of planning, the Plains School District will finally receive a grant, which will allow them to add an addition onto the school, combining the now two campuses into one general location.

The Department of Commerce Quality Schools Grant Project helped make the addition possible. QSGP helps to administer state money throughout the state of Montana for school infrastructures.

The Plains School District received the second largest grant in the state of Montana totaling $1.15 million. The addition will branch off of the K through 2 section of campus, which will open up the hallway and add a new L-shaped building that will stretch out towards the maintenance shop.

The new addition will host six classrooms, bathrooms, mechanical rooms, a principal’s office and special needs rooms.

The process began back in 2009 although talk of a combined campus goes as far back as the 1970s. Superintendent at the time the first grant was submitted in 2009, Rich Magera proposed and submitted the grant. The district was awarded the initial grant, however, when the school applied for the money for the grant to start building, the grant was denied. During a secondary submission process, the grant failed again. But the district’s luck turned around and the grant was accepted for the 2013 year.

“We received information at the end of November that we were up for this, however, it needed legislative approval and the governor’s signature so we didn’t announce it until it was official and had made it through,” said Plains Superintendent Thom Chisholm. The word came in a few weeks ago that the governor signed this into law and now the district will begin the process of satisfying the grant requirements.

According to Chisholm, there are 12 different documents that need to be submitted before they get to step one.

He explained the paper work process will go throughout the summer and fall, with construction hopefully starting in March or April of next spring.

Chisholm stated the addition should be done by next August.

“With any luck 15 months from now we’ll be in a brand new building so we won’t have a split campus anymore,” said Chisholm.

The addition will be placed right next to the current building with a seamless entry way into the new addition.

“This is life altering for the community of Plains and most importantly for the students and teachers,” said Chisholm.

The combined campus will help with school safety, school accreditation and school achievement.

“New is a nice color, it looks good on anything,” said Chisholm.

It is unknown what will happen to the Wildhorse Elementary School building. According to Chisholm, the building may be sold, auctioned off or traded in a land swap with the city.

“We’ll retain it this year and use it this year. (The future of the building) will be up to the board to decide,” said Chisholm. “We’ll just have to cross that bridge when we get there.”