INTRODUCTION

The Stanton Friends Committee recently adopted a "Vision for the Future". The basic tenets of the vision included the following goals.

• Update the Preschool with the ability to teach Christian values.
• Create a new facility for our children to grow and develop during and after school periods.
• Create a community center for:
  • Wellness (adult fitness/activity center)
  • Education (preschool/community library)
  • Health
  • Safety
• Create an environment for Stanton to grow by attracting new Families and Businesses.
• Help the School remain self-sufficient.

These statements set the basis for the use and occupancy, and spatial needs of the proposed development. This chapter examines the use and occupancy requirements or the facility(ies) that might be developed to serve such purposes and formulate approximate spatial needs for that purpose.

RELIGIOUS BASED PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM

The Good Shepherd Christian Preschool is excited to have 20 students in its class: 10 boys and 10 girls. (The maximum number of students allowed.) The preschool received the 4 year old preschool grant from the state this year and was able to purchase some very nice new supplies, furniture, and equipment. The program is using the Creative Curriculum for preschool. This involves the use of more learning centers and a new assessment system to monitor the children's progress.

Pre-school in Stanton is currently provided by the Stanton Child Resource Center and the Good Shepherd Christian School which is conducted out of the Mamrelund Church basement. The Good Shepherd Christian School program has been provided out of this facility since 1989 and provides 3 hours of religious based preschool services, three days a week for three and four year olds in the community. The center has a current enrollment of approximately 25 children, but has operated with as many as 40 children in the past. With allowances for shared space and scheduling, the spatial requirement for this service would be provided for up to 40 children.

Beginning with the current school year, the Good Shepherd Christian School program will be operated out of the Stanton Child Resource Center due to a requirement by the Fire Marshal's office to install a fire alarm system throughout the church building. The cost of this system has been estimated to cost $30,000. Provisions for this expensive retrofit cannot be made in a timely fashion to allow the preschool to continue to operate out of the church basement in the near term.

It is a goal of the Committee to continue religious based preschool services in Stanton. This can best be accomplished through shared services with the Community School District and Stanton Child Resource Center. If possible, it is desired to discontinue preschool services at the existing location.

PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM

It is the intention of the Community School District to provide facilities for a Voluntary Preschool Program for four year olds and for five year olds not attending kindergarten. The new program would meet 12 hours per week. The proposed preschool would provide a research-based curriculum meeting QPPS standards. Parents wishing to maintain the half-day structure of the preschool, preschool for three year old children and faith based preschool curriculum will be allowed to continue preschool services outside the required school based program.

LIBRARY

The existing City library is operated out of the old City Hall on Broad Street. The library is a full service library containing approximately 1,000 square feet of space.

The Committee's desire is that library services within the community be shared. The new library space is to provide a minimum of 4,000 square feet.

COMMUNITY CENTER

The committee desires to create a community center (multi-purpose building) with a broad goal of providing facilities for wellness, education, health and safety. The specific uses include adult fitness, activity center, pre-school, community library and facility where the community could receive attention to health and safety.

Provisions of space to fulfill this goal would include a social center with kitchen and seating for 100 people, a standard size gymnasium with extending bleachers, exercise rooms and walking track, male/female restrooms and lockers, auxiliary space for clinic purposes, storm shelter and storage.

The space would be shared by the School District and Community. Rooms or designated spaces within the facility may accomplish more than one purpose with proper scheduling and agency agreement.

The Committee's expectation of the size of a multi-purpose structure needed for the purposes described is 28,000 square feet, at a minimum, including child day care, pre-school and library.