Cramped, leaky school with ‘beautiful spirit’ needs remodel, staff says

A 59-year-old, unsafe building that leaks when it rains does not support the “beautiful spirit of learning” at Landsdowne Elementary, school leaders said Monday to a district committee that prioritizes future projects.

Nine staffers, including Principal Jennifer Fish, and a parent told members of the Fayette Public School board’s Local Planning Committee that Lansdowne Elementary School needed to be renovated, if not given a new building.

The school board’s Local Planning Committee develops and oversees the District Facility Plan, which prioritizes school construction and renovation.

A $1.4 million new roof, additional insulation and a $576,314 kitchen expansion at Lansdowne Elementary is on the draft 2025 District Facility Plan that is under review by the Kentucky Department of Education. It would have to be approved by the Fayette school board.

Teachers and others who advocated Monday for a total school renovation or new building say the updates proposed on the draft plan won’t be enough. They said renovations in 2000 and prior to that did not address small classrooms and a lack of space throughout the building.

There are 575 students in the school, which includes pre-K through fifth grade. Eighty percent of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.

“It is a beautiful spirit of learning inside our building. Unfortunately, the structure is not,” assistant principal Ann Ingram said.

“When it rains, it pours. We have leaks throughout the building. Trash cans underneath the ceiling tiles. We have mold, mildew, plumbing problems. It is our responsibility to advocate for our students. We desperately need a renovation. They deserve the best.”

Teacher Shaleigha Richard also said the school was in need of renovation or a remodel project.

“We are overcrowded,” Richard said.

Music teacher Callie Manor said families are showing up to support students participating in the arts. But the school cannot provide adequate seating, adequate parking and performance areas for their children, she said.

Manor said other Fayette County students enjoy updated facilities, and Lansdowne students deserve the same.

There is no outdoor covered walkway at Lansdowne, and kids start their day soaking wet and cold when it’s rainy, parent Vanessa Napier said.

“My main concern is safety,” Fish said about the school built in 1966. “It’s disheartening that schools built well after Lansdowne have already had full renovations or are getting new buildings.”