By Stephen Floyd
When Silverton High School (SHS) was completed in 2009, the campus benefited from modern design and tailor-made classrooms.
Students could learn to cook in a commercial kitchen, learn the basics of firefighting in full gear, and learn car maintenance in a multi-bay auto shop.
SHS teachers interviewed by Our Town said a custom learning space helps students find a passion for a specific career path and feel a sense of belonging.
Silver Falls School District (SFSD) spokesperson Derek McElfresh said they hope to achieve similar results through improvements at other schools with the proposed $138 million bond on the Nov. 7 ballot.
Over the last year the SFSD Bond Advisory Committee and district officials – following a series of school-by-school community listening sessions – constructed a plan to address critical facility challenges to student safety and well-being.
After reviewing the proposal, the SFSD board decided to put the $138 million bond measure necessary to carry out those plans before the voters. If passed, a state grant of $4 million would also be awarded.
The bond addresses repairs and renovations at ten district-owned schools, and replaces Silverton Middle School.
For property owners within the district, the estimated cost per thousand tax increase over the current rate is $1.60 per $1,000 in assessed value.
The plan calls for $7.95 million for Silverton High School.
The current high school campus was the result of a $10.4 million bond passed in 1996 and a $47.5 million bond passed in 2006. Phase 1 was completed in 1997 and served as the freshman-only high school until Phase II was finished in 2009.
The current bond proposal includes around $5 million to replace the 26-year-old roof, which suffers from chronic leaks that have resulted at times in falling classroom ceiling tiles. The bond would also replace the HVAC system, as the current heating and cooling for the entire building runs off the original system for the 1997 wing.
There would also be security upgrades, improvements to phones and data systems, and replacement of some proprietary computer systems that have become obsolete.
SFSD hopes these repairs can help SHS students continue to benefit from the building’s modern design and intentionally-built classrooms.
In Katie Kantrowitz’ speech and debate class, the room includes three smaller prep rooms where students practice. Kantrowitz said the classroom can get very loud with 36 students, and the value of the prep rooms has been “incalculable.”
“There’s a sense of pride and ownership,” she said. “They know this room was built for them.’”
Kantrowitz also teaches French and Spanish. Though her room is separate from the other language arts teachers, she said she would not trade it for another.
Kim Emmert’s culinary arts classroom has a licensed commercial kitchen better-equipped than some local restaurants, with abundant prep and cooking space and its own walk-in freezer. Students even put their cooking skills to the test when the program caters outside events.
Emmert said students often go on to more advanced programs, work at local eateries or even start their own restaurants and are “truly excited to go and do the next step.”
Other unique spaces on campus include the performing arts rooms and theater, the shops for woodworking, metalworking and auto repairs, and a popular ceramics class.
McElfresh said a modern school has the ability to change spaces to fit a program’s needs.
Kirsten Barnes’ protective services class meets in what used to be a computer lab. The program covers EMT training, firefighting and police work, and cooperates with groups such as the Silverton Fire District.
Each student has their own set of gear stored in the classroom, while training takes place on a school-owned fire engine and with other professional equipment.
Barnes said there simply wasn’t enough space for this type of program at the old Schlador Street campus. Though her current room was not custom-built, she said modern standards like open space and plentiful electrical outlets helped make the program possible.
McElfresh said another example is the school’s alternative education class, which meets in a former staff break room. For students who need a less-crowded or less-stimulating environment, the room offers low light and noise levels, isolated learning areas and self-guided instruction.
There’s also the school’s information technology program, which teaches robotics, gaming, coding and AI. To fit the new program, the school removed a foldable wall between two classrooms to create a larger space without new construction.
McElfresh said these career-specific programs have helped many students find joy in what could otherwise be the drudgery of just showing up to class.
He said the link between a school facility and the quality of instruction is less about four walls and a roof and more about making sure students feel welcome and involved. He said it is difficult enough to compete for a child’s attention these days, and giving them a reason to want to learn can make all the difference.
“The more they can feel like they have a space here, the more they want to come,” he said. “…That’s the sort of thing you can do when you intentionally design a building in modern times.”
Proposed expenditure for Silverton High School from bond on Nov.7 ballot
Grades: 9-12, Year Built: 1997 / 2009
Total Students for 2022-23 Year: 1,222 Total $ of Bond for SHS: $7,952,397
• Safety & Security: $1,289,000• Updates & Repairs: $4,413,397• Heat/Cool & Air Quality: $2,250,000• Accessibility: $0
Total for All Schools: $142,297,915*
* Plan assumes $138M bond passes, earning a $4M State grant, creating the $142M total fund.
