If current population projections hold, Jordan School District may have to build another 11 schools to shoehorn all its students into adequate buildings.
That's in addition to the five schools - two high schools, a middle school and two elementaries - now under construction.While population projections are subject to the vagaries of economy, home construction, interest rates, natural birthrates and in-and-out-migration patterns, Jordan almost certainly will face considerable growth between now and the year 2003, a consultant told the district board of education Tuesday night.
Gary Jones, president of Architect/Planners Association, told the board to expect "large challenges in the coming years." The district contracted with the company to develop a 10-year master plan.
If the trends now affecting growth in south Salt Lake Valley continued over the 10-year period, the district could be schooling 81,600 children by 2003, compared with the 70,899 on the rolls this fall - an annual increase of about 4 percent, Jones said.
The bulk of the growth - an estimated 71 percent - will occur on the west side of the district. Jordan South Area (generally the southeast end of the valley) would also see significant growth, but there could be an actual decline in the number of students in the North Area, the figures indicate.
Those trends will have implications over the next few years as the district tries to distribute students among existing classrooms. It could mean busing for some children, a conversion to year-round calendars for others, use of more relocatable units and possible alternative scheduling at some schools.
Even with such arrangements to maximize the use of current buildings, the district must anticipate construction, Jones said. The study indicated that at least four schools would be necessary in the South Area and seven in the West Area.
It is likely that the district will need at least two bond elections to provide construction funds and the first should occur "when this meeting is over," the consultant said, emphasizing current rapid growth in the district.
The district is expected soon to authorize the expenditure of the final $30 million of a $150 million bond passed by voters three years ago for the construction now under way. The remainder of the money will be for refurbishing existing schools, however, a district spokeswoman said. The costs to meet the projected building needs could exceed another $100 million.
Superintendent Raymond W. Whittenburg said district staff will continue to monitor growth patterns in the district closely to stay ahead of student housing demands without going beyond actual needs. Such projects as the proposed South Mountain development should be watched closely, the consultants advised.