A Way Forward for Orcas Schools: The Next Step

Group of Orcas contractors, architechts and engineer meet to confer on a Way Forward

By Fred Klein

A group of Orcas Island construction professionals has issued a report to the Orcas Community and the Orcas Island School District (OISD) Board with some recommendations for dealing with issues related to the structures built in 1980 which comprise the Middle School, school library, cafeteria, and related school buildings.

This group, led by Clyde Duke (contractor) and David Kau (architect), consisting of sixteen local contractors, architects, and an engineer, reviewed existing studies, toured the buildings, and met together for four hours before reaching its conclusions and recommendations.

(The full report can be accessed at orcasissues.com/the-next-step-forward-the-full-report published previously today)

In summary, these local professionals recommend that the OISD Board reconsider its decision to tear down the 1980 Buildings, ask its current consultant, Mahlum Architects, to explore several options which would upgrade the existing buildings, and prepare cost estimates for implementing such a strategy. If one option, along with its estimated costs, resonates with the community and the school board, Mahlum should then be engaged to prepare schematic plans which demonstrate that the upgrades and changes result in a vibrant and inspiring educational environment.

The local contractors, architects and engineer are Clyde Duke, Fred Klein, David Kau, Justin Paulson, Glen Monson, Ron Wallace, John Campbell, Dave Russillo, Mark Padbury, Jonathan Loop, George Larson, David Will, Burke Thomas, Dwight Guss, Prescott Jones, April Duke, Dwight Guss, Bill Trogden, Butch Reifert (Mahlum), and Prescott Jones.

Their impetus to gather together and make this report is an outgrowth of a series of citizen meetings held between April 2 and April 9, 2011, with the goal, “To reach a consensus on a way forward to ensure that the facilities of the OISD are adequate to meet our collective responsibility for the education of our community’s children; and to draft a statement of the consensus to be published and shared with the community at large.

The Statement of Consensus can be read online in full at: