High School Location

Site Selection:

The district’s design team analyzed twelve possible high school sites in Lockwood, through community input the possible candidates were narrowed down to three sites. Through a series of conversations with the community at area events and meetings, responses overwhelmingly favored the on-campus solution. Further on-campus planning work uncovered shared facility use between middle school and high school, as well as acquisition, operational, and construction savings.

Click here to view the analysis of other sites evaluated

Transportation:

The current campus resides on Highway 87, a thoroughfare under the control of the Montana Department of Transportation. The district has met with the MDT to coordinate efforts to improve safety and traffic flow. The MDT has stated that the current traffic flow, and accident count around the school is low when compared with nearby roads. Nevertheless, the district has proposed ideas for re-aligning Hillner Ln to intersect perpendicular to Hwy 87. Additionally, new center turn lanes, and sidewalks along the school property, are planned to help increase safety. Stonehaven Way is also planned to be incorporated into the overall campus transportation plan, reducing traffic on the western portion of campus.

Click here to view the Hwy 87 construction cost information

Campus Access and Traffic Safety:

Current conversations propose that the middle school and high school students would begin classes 45 minutes later than the primary school students. This approach reduces the amount of concurrent traffic on campus, improves bussing schedules, and improves overall pedestrian safety. The district plans to separate high school traffic from other campus traffic by requiring high school students that drive to school to use the easternmost access onto campus via Stonehaven Way. Student parking will be designated to the eastern side of the parking lot in assigned spaces, leaving the remainder of the parking area open for staff and visitor parking.

Campus Improvements:

The addition of a high school on the current campus provides the opportunity to improve safety, busing pick-up and drop-off, parking lot proximity to campus buildings, and overall visitor way finding. Plans call for the current administration building to be removed; in its place the parking lot will be expanded to allow for ample special event parking. The existing bus pickup and drop off area is to be reconfigured, this creates a new community event lawn, built-in amphitheater seating for outdoor classes, and additional sports practice areas. The re-configuration also simplifies campus navigation, and adds way finding signage. A stadium facility is planned off of the east edge of the parking lot. This facility will allow for football, soccer, track and field events to be hosted on our campus. Phase two of the campus re-roofing project will also be completed as part of this bond measure, reducing the current permissive Building Reserve Fund Levy.