The report is out: 290 pages.

For four months, a 19-member committee of school board directors, teachers, community members and administrators have brooded over all the needs of a new Captain Johnston Blakely Elementary School and landed on some critical numbers and guiding principles.

Pending the board’s approval late this week, the school will be built to serve 450 students, with site layout and systems designs organized in such a way as to “gracefully accommodate” a future expansion of up to 600 students.

The new school will be approximately 21,500 square feet larger than the existing facility and is likely to have more than one story. The construction cost is estimated at $26,291,948, with nearly $20 million accounting for new construction. Approximately $4 million is set aside for site development, with smaller sums for demolition of the existing Blakely, an off-site water storage tank and other components.

Core instruction areas will consist of 20 classrooms: 16 for grades 1 through 4, three for kindergarten and one developmental preschool.

The building hasn’t been designed yet, but one of the key attributes will be shared learning spaces, where students can gather for small group work and special instruction.

As proposed, the new K-4 classrooms would be only slightly larger than their existing counterparts, with 790 square feet of space available in-room as compared to 780.

However, when learning clusters are taken into account, the combined learning space for each class increases significantly, from 837 square feet per classroom to 1,078.

Spatial parameters are listed specific to each grade level. Lights that can be dimmed, space for display of student work and tackable surfaces were three of 21 suggestions for grade 1. Grade 2’s list included “inviting flooring,” nooks and crannies and movable storage.

Across the board, there was a big emphasis placed on accessible outdoor spaces – whether for reading buddies, quiet time or simply an extension of the classroom.

The Education Specifications Report sets aside 2,625 square feet for special education, with rooms for physical therapy, the school’s speech language pathologist, resources and differentiation. Each space has its own unique needs: In the resource room, they’re “rugs and bean bags” and “acoustically deadening surfaces.” For occupational therapy, there’s “adjustable height tables, “minimal furniture” and a “kitchen for therapeutic cooking classes.”

A 3,950-square-foot STEAM wing would incorporate studio space as well as shared storage and exterior space for creating. The art room would include a power tool access “safety zone” and lots of project shelving. The science room would benefit from a transparent work table, pulley/attachment points in the ceiling and 3D printers.

The positioning of the library is up for discussion, though committee members agreed it shouldn’t be placed adjacent to the gym or cafeteria. Its 2,910 square feet could be divided into a reading area and conference room for general use. A curved circulation desk and carpeting were both mentioned as ideal.

The gymnasium, cafeteria and stage – the “theatrodinasium” – would be connected, possibly with an after-hours entry added for the community. The physical education program’s 4,150-square-foot space would consist of a small gym, office and equipment, recess and cubby storage.

At present, the report does not allocate space for community storage or a staff fitness area, though both of these ideas are being considered.

The commons, which is listed as 5,180 square feet, would be large enough to hold the entire school population, while the stage, at 1,000 square feet, would be sized for 80 to 120 performers.

The location of the main office will prioritize student security.

The counselor’s office will be located near the nurse’s office to allow for easy collaboration, with an entrance that maintains student privacy.

The landscape program includes parking, bus drop-off, a play/sports field and a variety of outdoor learning spaces.

To encourage safety, the new design will separate parking and vehicle drop-off from the bus drop-off.

The report, Education Specification document, can be found on the district website at www.bisd303.org.