Current State of Facilities

History of the Elementary Schools

Then known as Central School, the building we know today as J.T. Manning Elementary was built in 1927 following a bond issuance and opened to students in the fall of 1928. In 1946, Westmont voters approved an improvement project that added a new gymnasium and auditorium, seven new classrooms, a kitchen and a library. The project was completed in 1949.

C.E. Miller School was built in 1958 and still exists on its original footprint. 

The Facilities Today

Despite efforts by the district to adequately maintain the aging facilities at Miller and Manning, today the buildings face a host of issues that are increasing in cost and severity. Some of those issues include:

• An HVAC system in need of frequent repairs (the boiler is so old, the manufacturer no longer produces parts). A realistic estimate for HVAC replacement alone is $8-10 million. 
• A non-functioning or intermittently functioning PA system, meaning some classrooms cannot hear tornado drills or other building-wide alerts. 
• Aging electrical and plumbing systems that would require entire interior walls to be torn down and rebuilt to gain access
• A guest management system that is past its working life (the technology is no longer supported)
• Problems with ADA accessibility (chair lift)

In order to fund the increasing costs associated with mounting repairs, without the passage of a referendum the district anticipates needing to divert funds currently being spent on staffing, social workers, behavior interventionists and academic supports.