Plains Schools get huge boost from grant and donation

Tom Chisholm is one excited guy.

The enthusiasm he projects is affecting the Plains School District in a very positive and exciting way.

After 10 years of dreaming and planning, Chisholm, the district’s energetic superintendent, and a team of administrators, planners and contractors are about to launch a major project that will benefit students, teachers and the entire Plains community.

Buoyed by a recent $750,000 federal Delivering Local Assistance grant and backed by a very generous $400,000 donation, the district plans to break ground in August for a new multi-use building that will enhance arts, sports programs and help alleviate an elementary school classroom and storage dilemma.

“We hope to digging dirt by the end of August,” Chisholm said. The project will occupy a large open space on the southwest corner of the district campus. “We are currently in the process of lining up the contractors to be part of the design and build model. The plan is to select the contractors by July 24.”

Based on a study done by the district’s administration, it was determined an increased capacity for health and arts related programs was a top priority, Chisholm said.

Plans call for the free-standing, all-metal structure to contain enough space for a full-size basketball/volleyball court, class and work areas for art students from kindergarten to grade 12, and additional capabilities for performing arts type events.

“The building has been designed to allow us to easily convert the basketball court space into an auditorium that can be used for concerts and other theater-like events,” Chisholm said. “There will also be improved loading and unloading capabilities for shows like the Missoula Repertory Theater to bring their performances to town.”

Adding a second basketball court, he said, will allow the school to host two basketball games at once (such as junior varsity and varsity games) and possibly be a place for small tournaments. It will also allow more space for the district’s indoor sports teams to practice and cut down on travel expenses.

The sports part of the facility will also contain additional locker room space and more restrooms for student-athletes and fans.

Perhaps the biggest gain of all, however, may be the badly needed improvement to the district’s arts programs. Currently, many art classes are in cramped quarters and equipment is in one case spread out between two buildings.

“The new building will have art rooms with kilns for pottery,” Chisholm said. “The teacher now has to take the clay projects from the classroom and go outside to the kiln area in another space. The new space will allow all that to be done in one area. Cold weather is not very compatible to kiln-fired artwork.”

One small item that is of particular interest to Chisholm is also part of the plan. A heavy steel folding security gate that dates back to the original high school has been preserved and will be installed in the new building as a symbolic yet functional piece of history.

“The story behind the activity is often as important as the activity itself, “ Chisholm said. “That old gate is a piece of history. It was part of the original school gym and its important we preserve what we can of the history involved.”

Also in the works is a request that builders spare a large shade tree that currently sits along Johnson Street on the southern boundary of the elementary school playground area. The playground itself will also be spared from major intrusion by the structure.

Perhaps most important of all to citizens of Plains and the surrounding area, the grant and donation will allow the facility to be constructed without cost to the local taxpayers, he said.

“The major donation we received, along with extra funds we have had on hand will allow us to enhance and improve what the grant alone would have funded,” Chisholm said.

Meetings with contractors and city officials were held at the school this past week and all appeared on board and eager to get started.