Published: July 13, 2011
Fort Riley Works to Alleviate School Overcrowding Issues
By Mollie Miller
With less than six weeks remaining before Fort Riley's children head back to the classroom, work crews are scrambling to get several modular buildings in place to alleviate overcrowding throughout the post's five elementary schools and one middle school.
Unified School District 475 Superintendent Ron Walker, who oversees 19 area schools including the six on Fort Riley, said the new buildings should alleviate some of the issues associated with the post's aging facilities where only one school is less than 50 years old.
"We are doing the best we can with what we have," Walker said.
Although the addition of the modular buildings should reduce student-teacher ratios throughout post schools, Walker said the temporary buildings are simply a "band-aid" fix for an overcrowding problem that could soon find some Fort Riley schools 50 percent over capacity.
"A large increase in students and old buildings created the perfect storm for us," Walker said. "We are using every inch of space we have."
The superintendent said the USD 475 team understands the dire need for new schools on post and, with the help of several organizations including the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense, has initiated a three phase plan to address the needs of Fort Riley's growing student population.
The first phase of the plan is already underway with construction beginning on the new $20 million elementary school located near the Forsyth neighborhood and on the Ware Elementary School multi-use building addition. This phase, according to Walker, should be complete by August 2012.
The second phase of the Fort Riley school development plan focuses on building a new middle school while the third phase revolves around the construction of two new elementary schools. Although money has already been identified for the construction of the middle school, the plan's third phase, the two elementary schools, currently remains unfunded.
"Our students deserve better buildings and we are working hard to give them what they deserve," Walker said.
Maj. Gen. William Mayville, commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, got an in-depth look at the challenges facing the students, teachers and staff of the post's schools during a tour of Morris Hill Elementary and Fort Riley Middle School July 7.
"What we have done to sustain what we have is admirable but we don't have enough room and we have to get after this overcrowding problem," he said.
While aging school buildings, an ever increasing student body and repeated Soldier deployments have combined to present a wealth of unique challenges for the team at USD 475, Fort Riley staff, teachers and administrators have never wavered from their commitment to educating the children of America's fighting men and women. Walker said all Fort Riley schools are maintaining the high standards that have earned them Blue Ribbon School status and continue to exceed Annual Yearly Progress testing state averages.
"Our team feels we are making a huge contribution to the safety of our nation by taking care of the children of our Soldiers," Walker said. "This is not a normal job - this is a mission and it is a mission that we are all dedicated to."
Mayville, who will meet with the Kansas Congressional delegation this week and discuss, among other things, the money needed to build new post schools, said the Army has promised to provide Soldiers' children a high quality education in environments that encourage lifelong learning and success. Under his watch, Mayville assured post leaders, this statement will be more than just words on paper.
"It's about time we deliver on our promise," he said.
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