The heat of the summer may be upon us now, but summer vacation will be over and classes will resume in a mere six weeks. And while the building at Box Elder High School resembles a sardine can with its lid pulled back, Jim Christensen, director of facilities management, is certain the school will be functional by the end of August.

In a brief rundown to the school board, Christensen said carpet is now being installed in the first wing of the new addition. By mid-August, furniture and computer equipment can be moved into the new section and teachers will be allowed to come in and set up their rooms within a few days.

The contruction project will not be fully completed at that time. Things like curb and gutter, parking and landscaping will be completed by next spring. The new kitchen is expected to be completed in November, and some heating equipment has not been installed yet. However, none of those items will interfere with the ability to operate the school.

Christensen gave a brief report to board members last week after they heard Superintendent Martell Menlove offer a summary on building needs in the county over the next 40 years.

All of those needs were prioritized according to the time frame in which they needed to be addressed. The most urgent needs, after the completion of the high schools, are the roof structures at Grouse Creek and Snowville.

Menlove recommended the school board continue to monitor enrollment in the elementary schools and make changes in boundaries where needed. There are two hot spots that need to be addressed in the next five years -- Fielding/Garland, and Willard/Perry. Even with rebuilding existing structures or building new ones, Menlove said it will be necessary to monitor growth and obtain property over the next 10-20 years.

At the secondary level, the plumbing and filtration systems at both natatoriums will need to be updated within the next five years. And, Menlove recommended replacing or renovating the gymnasium at the Box Elder Middle School in about 5-10 years.

The board should also monitor growth at the intermediate schools, although Menlove believes the enrollement figures can be balanced by implementing some boundary changes instead of adding on to either school.

Menlove also recommended the board consider the use the old Lincoln school in the near future. This building is leased to the Boys and Girls Club of America and at times, is more of a financial liability than not, he said.

Because any one of these projects can cost a substantial amount of money, long range planning helps the district be more prudent with spending. Developing a plan does not set any one project into action, and all projects can be moved ahead or pushed back as needed.