Custer Elementary School

The current Custer Elementary School building was built in 1936 and added to in 1941, 1959, 1980 and in 1999.Custer Elementary was named by Washington State and the U.S. Department of Education as a School of Excellence in 1994.

As part of the 2006 bond issue, voters approved $3.5 million for the renovation of Custer Elementary School. Preliminary design investigative work for the renovation of the school uncovered numerous previously unknown building deficiencies. These discovered deficiencies will require upgrades in excess of the voted bond amount. The district is eligible for additional state match dollars, but to qualify would need to spend more dollars than the bond would cover. Since this discovery, the district has completed a study of the building and updated the needs assessment. The school board met and directed the district administration to build a new school on the existing site. Since this direction was given, the district has completed the preliminary design phase, which includes defining educational needs, value engineering and constructability. Preserving the historical elements of the school will be a priority in planning for the new construction.

Led by Rolluda Architects, parents, community and staff deigned a new elementary school on the site of the existing Custer Elementary School. the design must fulfill programmatic needs, while also maintaining the stature of an icon for the community of Custer. The design took into consideration the following concerns which were developed during the programming and educational specification process;

Site

• Separation of bus load/unload and parent drop-off
• Good visual supervision from administration area to front of school
• Good sightlines for supervision on playfields
• Covered area for bus load/unload
• Good playfield drainage
• Playfields accessible for community use
• Maximize parking
• Separation of service area
• Be aware of Northeasterly winds

Building

• Create small learning communities with flex spaces
• Each pod or flex area should be accessible to all classrooms
• Ability to close-off academic wings from facilities open after hours, such as: gym, library, computer lab, stage, multi-purpose room
• Replicate historical facade
• Design should encourage socialization and reduce isolation of students
• Spaces should be flexible to support a variety of instructional methods-lectures
• Design should support collaboration, student-centered instruction, safety and personalizing environment

With the continued input from parents, community and staff, Rolluda Architects looks forward to continuing the project on into Design Development and further refining the design. It is important to the design team to ensure that the educational needs of both students and staff are addressed, creating a comfortable, safe and efficient teaching and learning environment.

• Final Front Facade Design (page 1) Preliminary Front Facade Design (page 2)(PDF)
• Front Facades / Site Plan / 1st Floor/ 2nd Floor(PDF)
• Cost Estimates per Design Options (PDF)
• Final Elevation Designs (PDF)
• Custer Educational Specifications (PowerPoint Presentation)
• Custer Site Plan (Image)
• Custer Schematic Design (PowerPoint Presentation)
• Custer 1st Floor (PDF)
• Custer 2nd Floor (PDF)
• Custer Development Design (PDF)

This project will be part of the 2008 Capital Projects Bond issue that will go before the voters on March 11, 2008. With successful passage of this bond, Custer Elementary School staff and students will be housed at Cascadia Elementary for the 2008-2009 school year as the work for the new Custer Elementary School continues.