West Valley School is at capacity with 520 students — not including the staff of about 60 — in a building meant for 470 people.

As a result, the district has worked with CTA Architects Engineers to create options for facility expansion, Superintendent Cal Ketchum said.

“What we’re doing with the CTA group is compiling as much information as we can and educational material so that we can present a good, big, picture,” Ketchum said.

A steering committee of about 25 staff and community members narrowed 10 options down to four that will be presented during a public open house Thursday at 7 p.m. at the school. This will be an opportunity for the public to comment.

“We’re looking for the best solution to our growth here at West Valley,” Ketchum said.

The steering committee is trying to hone in on a vision for West Valley’s academic future and how a facility can help accomplish that task.

Plans that will be presented include mostly additions and renovations to the existing school.

“Nothing etched in stone at this particular time,” Ketchum said.

The school has already transformed multiple spaces to accommodate growth.

In August 2012, a maintenance supplies and storage room was transformed into a computer room to fit about 25 students and a covered outside shelter for students was enclosed to become the new storage area. In 2011, the school added two classrooms and three offices and converted the stage to a classroom.

If enrollment continues to grow and facilities are not expanded, the last option would be to increase class sizes.

In the last 10 years growth the student population at West Valley has increased by 55 percent, according an enrollment report by Flathead County Superintendent’s Office.

Ketchum said over the past 11 years, enrollment has increased by an average of 5 percent each year.

“Projecting that out in ten years we’d be at 850 kids,” Ketchum said. “Again, you can’t say that’s going to happen but look what we’ve seen in the last 11 years.”

All the information compiled from steering committee meetings and public comments will be encapsulated into a presentation at a May 13 school board meeting. Ketchum expects the options will include cost estimates by this time.

“The board will have to decide from there what we do,” Ketchum said. “Hopefully from this process we want to see that it’s not just us at the school saying, ‘We need this,’ it’s the community with their voice saying this is the best option for their school at this particular time.”

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].