The Junction City Commission approved the site plans submitted by Geary USD 475 for proposed building additions to Westwood Elementary and Franklin Elementary.

Bill Clark, USD 475 Chief Operating Officer informed the Commission that the additions address safety and space needs at the schools.

“Franklin for example does not have a controlled entrance,” said Clark. “If you go over to Washington Elementary for example it has a controlled entrance where the staff can control who comes in and who goes out, that does not exist. To create that at Franklin we have to modify the office which modify’s the music room. Which then requires the addition that you see before you, a new music room just to the north end of that building.”

Franklin would also receive a new playground and a new staff parking lot in the future.

He went on to say the need for the addition to Westwood Elementary is due to both safety concerns and overcrowding.

“Over at Westwood, what we have right now is we have what we call eight specialty teachers, ELL and ESS for example, who are operating out of one room. By adding that addition it allows us to spread them out to provide a better learning environment for students. Additionally the addition at Westwood becomes the FEMA Shelter, we’re going to reinforce it so in case there is an emergency for bad weather there is a place for them to go.”

The Metropolitan Planning Commission recommended the City approve the site plans, with a requirement that the school district can not add anymore teachers or staff at the school due to parking issues.

Clark indicated that the additions will not increase the capacity of the school and that the District is addressing parking issues at their facilities district wide through a six year plan. This summer alone the district is adding parking lots at Morris Hill Elementary, Lincoln Elementary and the Early Childhood Complex.

The goal is to get the additions started as soon as possible in order to have them completed by the time school starts in August.

The City Commission approved the site plans per the recommendation of the MPC.