A new elementary school to house grades pre-K through fourth surfaced as the possible plan to expand Mineola school facilities Monday.

Architect Perry Thompson, who was asked by the school board in June to look at additional ideas, outlined the benefits of aligning those six grades on one campus and moving fifth grade to the middle school.

Middle school would then house grades 5-6 on one side (which is now the primary school) and grades 7-8 on the other.

The new campus, on NE Loop 564, would house pre-K and kindergarten in one wing, grades 1-2 in another and grades 3-4 in a third.

That would leave the present elementary, adjacent to the high school, to be remodeled to house career and technical education including the vocational agriculture programs.

To a question from Superintendent Cody Mize, Thompson said the project would touch all grades, as remodeling would be required at the middle school to refit the primary campus for older students.

Thompson said the plans would handle the district’s needs for 10 years, and he would not recommend trying to plan facilities for a 20 to 30-year time frame.

Thompson based growth on a one percent gain per year.

He said the land the district owns on the loop is large enough to house additional campuses and other facilities in the future.

The district has commissioned a more detailed demographic study that is expected in the fall.

In another facility matter, trustees postponed adding an access door to the high school gym until they can determine the cost of replacing three problematic electrical panels uncovered during Thompson’s facility study.

Mize noted that the fine arts facilities at the high school are moving along well, and the remodeled band hall is almost complete and ready for students to transition into it for band summer camps.