After much anticipation and a few delays, the new elementary school officially opened its doors to students on Monday for the start of 2025.  

Students spent the last week at the old elementary school right next door saying their goodbyes to the building, dotting their I’s and crossing their T’s, and in some cases, writing their names on the walls.  Students were given permission to “leave their mark” on the classrooms and other special areas of the building as they prepared to say goodbye.  The building is planned for demolition, of course, but in the meantime the signatures of those who most recently roamed its halls will help maintain a presence as the final, FINAL steps in the process are completed.  A farewell tour of the old school building is still in the works, and the public is invited to bid on items from the school on January 13-14 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  This week, members of local government agencies, non-profits, and Oneida School District staff have first pass at items left over that the school district does not intend to retain.  

Among the materials which are still in the school are a wide range of institutional furniture, fittings, shelving, and that type of thing.  In addition, of course, are many things that have no practical value, but may be sentimental for those in the community with strong memories or bonds to the school.  If the looks on the faces of those who have been seen wandering the now mostly deserted halls are good indicators, the whole process brings with it a lot of emotion and refection.

Malad Elementary Principal Sarah McIntyre stated that the first day in the building was “a good day!  There are still some things we need to work out and get used to, but so far it’s been a very good first day.”

That sentiment was shared by the other teachers who were outside monitoring the new “parent pickup lane” in the front of the school.  

One local parent who won’t be named (though I can verify that she has complained about the pickup line at the school more than once from her desk in the corner) stated that the new arrangement is “a lot [edited for content] better than it was before!”

In addition to being more efficient, the new setup is also considerably safer, which the same parent mentioned.  The line of sight from the office to the street was occluded by structures and trees in the past, whereas now the main office has a clear view of the parent pickup lane and can serve as an additional set of eyes.  

The buses are also now located entirely on the west side of the building, which creates a clearer distinction between students waiting for rides and those going to the bus.  It’s obviously early yet, and there were some initial hiccups that kept the first day from being completely unproblematic, but so far so good!

New Elementary School in Review

2024 was a big year with a lot of highlights.  From sports championships to the completion of the new Elementary school, from an election that is finally over to the impending addition of a Little Caesar’s to the newly renamed “On the Go” (which will likely always be called KJ’s and confuse anyone new to town from here on out), a lot happened over the course of the year.  We don’t have space in a single issue to bring you a retrospective of the past year as well as keep up with unfolding events, so we present a series of highlight stories in upcoming papers picking up on major news stories from last year, as well as updates about those stories as we start the new year.

Certainly one of the biggest stories of the year, and one that promises to keep developing as this year rolls along, is the construction of the new elementary school.  The biggest positive is of course the completion of the new school itself.  As has been attested to many times by those who work, volunteer, and even just visit the elementary school, the “old” building was past its safe and useful life.  In addition to potential problems with the roof, earthquake proofing, heating costs, outdated infrastructure (especially with regard to technology), and other issues, concerns about creating a secure and securable environment for students also compelled the building of a new facility after many decades of service by the old one.  

A bond was passed for the construction of the school that was based on the in-place system of allocating funds to districts based on enrollment numbers.  Since the Idaho Home Learning Academy was counted for enrollment purposes as part of the Oneida School District, the funds were sufficient to allow for new school construction without raising taxes on residents.

Changes on the literal last day of the most recent legislative session changed the funding apparatus for districts in a way that will affect the bond going forward.  The change was retroactively punitive, according to the lawsuit filed by the district against the state, which is still under litigation after a judge declined to outright dismiss it.  The likely outcome is that the bond period will be extended to a more standard ten or twenty years, rather than the unprecedented few years that had been initially planned.

Superintendent Jon Abrams has been clear in his comments that the original plan for the school funding was perfectly in line with the state policy at the time, and that he had consulted with legal experts on the matter before moving forward.  Since the changes at the state level only affected one school district, Oneida, it can be reasonably inferred that the change was something of a response to what Oneida had been able to do to free up funds for a much needed new school.

In any case, the new school will provide a much more modern and safe learning environment for the next generations of Malad kids, regardless of the length of the bond.  As the process moves forward, bonding capacity will free up to allow for the completion of an auditorium and other facilities.  The ball fields on the south end of the high school are another part of the initial bond, and are nearing completion themselves.  As the ballfield nears completion, we are excited for the spring sports that will be giving it a test drive.

The litigation of the case will likely drag on, but in the meantime the building is open and a much safer environment for local students.  Considering the love given to the “old” school, and the many extra years of service it provided, the “new” school will almost certainly be a beloved fixture of the town.  As can be the case, it will be something remembered by the current kids’ generation with as much affection and nostalgia as the “old” school is to the older generations.