School board debating future of the longest-operating elementary school in the state

Logan School District will make a decision to rebuild or remodel Ellis Elementary in January, but some members of the community are concerned about preserving the 125-year-old school.

District superintendent Frank Schofield will make his final recommendation for the Ellis Elementary project during a board meeting today. After a decision is made, construction will begin fall 2020.

Due to the projected growth for the area west of Main Street and safety concerns, Ellis is in need of an update. The question now is: “remodel or rebuild?”

“Initial work to determine what would be best for Ellis Elementary began this fall,” said Shana Longhurst, a district spokesperson. “At this point, discussions regarding whether it would be best both structurally and financially to rebuild or remodel Ellis Elementary have taken place.”

Ellis was established in 1893 and has been continuously operating ever since. Some people in the community are worried a complete rebuild would take away the historical prevalence of the school.

However, according to Schofield, only a small portion of the structure is a part of the original school.

“Right now, there’s a 12x12-foot section that’s part of the original building,” Schofield said.

Schofield said if the school was torn down, the old building would not be preserved. Some of the most distinct features, such as the original bell tower, may be recreated.

The option to remodel the school instead of tearing it down has also been discussed.

However, the school does need to grow to accommodate more students, so it would require a significant add-on in addition to updating the existing structure.

While this could preserve the original building, because of the shape of the land and the canal running through it, finding a place for the add-on would create problems such as splitting up the play space.

It could also create an area that is not visible from the street, which is a potential safety concern.

Regardless of the final decision, Schofield said the updates will better support teachers and students.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to provide a new learning environment,” he said.