MORROW COUNTY, Ore.-Review of floor and site plans for three Morrow County School District (MCSD) projects is now underway.
The Design Advisory Committee (DAC) began reviewing the projects at its January 20 meeting at Heppner Junior/Senior High School.
The DAC committee is comprised of school staff, students, and community members from Boardman, Irrigon, Lexington, and Heppner, to allow for a collaborative planning process to ensure the voter-approved bond projects meet the needs of each school and community.
“It has been a meaningful, collaborative process focused on creating a school that truly reflects and serves our community,” said Addie Cole, a teacher at Irrigon Junior/Senior High School.
Voters in Morrow County approved a $204.4 million bond to fund the projects in the May 2025 Special Election.
According to MCSD, the upgrade and replacement projects include secure main entry improvements, enhanced camera systems, and door access control at AC Houghton Elementary, Irrigon Elementary, Morrow Education Center, Sam Boardman Elementary, and Windy River Elementary.
The current Irrigon Jr/Sr High School has severe structural issues, according to the MCSD, and replacing the building with a new school is the first full project on the district’s timeline, with construction set to begin in 2027.
Preliminary designs were developed using feedback gathered during earlier DAC meetings, from the results of an educator survey, and direct conversations with school leadership, according to MCSD. SĀJ Architecture presented the designs at the meeting.
“Working alongside the other two communities and the architectural team has encouraged us to think about our school in new ways, especially through activities that asked us to consider the perspectives of students, staff, and community members,” said Addie Cole, teacher at Irrigon Junior/Senior High School.
Members of the DAC were divided into school-specific groups after the presentation and worked through more than 25 realistic educational and operational scenarios with SĀJ’s engagement team, allowing committee members to “stress test” the proposed plans from the perspectives of various building users, including students, teachers, and community members.
“Our design process is iterative,” said Jonah Jensen, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Assoc. DBIA, Principal Architect with SĀJ Architecture and lead designer for the Irrigon Junior/Senior High School project. “The group exercise helped us both confirm design decisions and identify areas to improve as we continue to refine each school’s floor and site plan.”
The next DAC meeting is scheduled for February 24 at Irrigon Junior/Senior High School.
More information about MCSD bond projects, including planning and construction timelines, and opportunities to get involved are available online.
