Moscow exploring new elementary school

The Moscow School District and the city of Moscow are exploring the possibility of building an elementary school on the south side of the city.

The Moscow City Council will meet Monday to vote on a proposed study assessing the feasibility of locating the school on West Palouse River Drive. According to a city staff report, the city and the district would split the cost of the study, which is expected to be under $50,000.

Moscow purchased a 44-acre property on West Palouse River Drive in 2002 to develop athletic playfields. It never went through with that plan because of the cost to build playfields, which was estimated at $8 million in 2011.

The city and the school district later agreed to jointly fund and develop playfields on a 22-acre property at the intersection of Joseph Street and Mountain View Road, now known as the Moscow School District Community Playfields.

The school district retained the right to build an elementary school on that property, but it wants a more even distribution of elementary school locations in the city.

With McDonald and Lena Whitmore elementary schools near the playfields, the district instead has turned its attention to the West Palouse River Drive property. The property sits across the street from the south end of the University of Idaho Arboretum.

The city and the school district are also exploring the potential development of a city park and additional athletic fields on that property, as well.

Moscow city staff have prepared a memorandum of understanding to jointly fund the planning study with Moscow School District.

The study will assess pedestrian access, vehicular access, site grading and parking. According to the city staff report, the study does not obligate the city or the school district to take any further actions. The city and district will mutually agree on the design professional in charge of the study.

The Moscow School District will close the century-old Russell Elementary School at the end of this school year as it addresses critical fiscal and facility needs.

This change will shift Russell Elementary students and teachers to new buildings, with the majority of Russell students transferring to West Park Elementary. The district will have three elementary schools next year.

All schools in the Moscow School District are more than 50 years old.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.