Bayfield School District officials met with residents last month to discuss key steps for the renovation and expansion of the middle school.
Assistant Superintendent Bill Hesford told residents during a Sept. 25 workshop – the second of three workshops scheduled – that the district looks to obtain a bond in fall 2025 to help pay for the remodeling as part of the district’s master facility plan, according to a news release on the district’s website.
The district plans to apply for a Building Excellent Schools Today grant in November, and it’ll find out whether it was approved for that grant in May 2025.
“Whether or not we’re successful in our grant application will be the final decision-making point – or trigger – on whether we actually seek a bond election in the fall of 2025,” Hesford said in the release. “If we are unsuccessful in getting a BEST grant, it feels like it would be a real toss-up.”
The BEST grant could potentially fund as much as 35% of any project cost in Bayfield, and the match is determined by a formula based on socioeconomic factors, the release said.
The district’s remaining bonding capacity somewhat limits the remaining 65% of necessary funds through a bond election.
“We have two (bond) pieces that sunset in 2032 and one in 2036, so our bonding capacity is definitely a concern,” Hesford said. “It would really limit us if we were talking about a brand-new school instead of a complete remodel.”
Adding a spacious common area or “cafetorium” was a popular suggestion among workshop participants, the release said. Residents and school officials also look to consider a new hands-on learning space for the building, which consultants told them is doable.
And as a way to help bolster school safety, workshop attendees brought up opportunities to improve parking and traffic flow near BMS, the release said.
There are a number of safety concerns at Bayfield Middle School, including a poor communication system, too many uncontrolled access points and a breezeway that presents both security and structural issues, the release said. BMS is also dealing with issues like poor lighting and furnishing, as well as narrow and congested hallways.
“We also don’t really have any space in this school for presentations, family gatherings or even athletic meetings. We do not have the ability to have guest speakers,” BMS Principal Marcia Hoerl said in the release, adding that the building can only accommodate at most 30 people for gatherings.
Superintendent Leon Hanhardt told the workshop group that Bayfield Intermediate School would be used to host some of the activities put on by the middle school, merely because of the limited available space.
mhollinshead@durangoherald.com
