SANDPOINT — Midstream in Thursday evening's discussion of the Lake Pend Oreille School District's school replacement and renovation plan, the topic of Lake Pend Oreille High School bobbed to the surface, to the exasperation of some board members and the satisfaction of others.

Tensions were running high at the school board meeting this week as members took up the Herculean task of prioritizing its many facilities in need of attention. The board's working plan is to offer a facilities levy for voter approval in August and begin construction work in 2017. Meanwhile, members began considering the recommendations of a citizens' advisory committee, which had studied LPOSD's master facility plan and put forth its recommendations, according to Carrie Logan and Kendon Perry, who served on the committee.

Board members agreed that replacing Sandpoint Middle School was at the top of the list, and that a new shop for Clark Fork High School was another necessity.  

On the subject of LPOHS, the district's alternative high school presently located at 1000 N. Boyer Ave., board members came to loggerheads.  At an earlier meeting, members had briefly discussed building a new school for alternative students on the SHS grounds. However, LPOHS principal Geoff Penrose said his staff and students were against this option.

"I would say that at LPOHS, we have a very clear vision of what we are," he said. "It's a question of equity. You have the most at-risk student population in the district in the worst school. I don’t want to see it (the building replacement) taken permanently off the table.” 

Superintendent Shawn Woodward suggested deferring a decision pending further discussion and research. Board Chairman Steve Youngdahl agreed.

"We just don’t have time to look into alternatives. It’s not like the other schools. I can see clearly that we need more discussion," he said.

“It takes 10 years for a culture change to happen. You need time to (prepare) your faculty and your students and give them time to recognize the benefits of a change. I would suggest strongly, don’t push it. It has to happen gradually, and it has to make sense," said vice chair Joan Fish, who has volunteered her time at LPOHS.

Trustee Joel Molander disagreed, saying the board should not put off replacing the alternative school.

"I’m not in favor of sweeping this under the table. That facility is an embarrassment to the school district. It’s not rocket science to sit down and get it done, and I think that’s what we need to do," he said.

Other trustees suggested mothballing the LPOHS project until the second phase of the facilities plan. Phase two would likely ensue about six years in the future, after phase one priority buildings are complete and a second levy passes, according to Lisa Hals, the school district's chief financial officer.

The board did not yet come to a resolution on school priority. Members will continue discussions at an extra meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 4 at 5 p.m. in the Ponderay Events Center. The public is welcome to attend.