The South Royalton School has been trying for years to find a solution for its undersized gymnasium and other space needs. What the school board has found every time is that there is no inexpensive solution.

The current $3.8 million proposal has been drafted with perhaps the widest planning and input that has ever been given to a major improvement at that school. This is a scholl that, under the long-term leadership of Principal Shawn Pickett has been one of the White River Valley’s educational gems and deserves the full support of the town. The price may seem high, but there is an important problem that needs to be solved, and it will cost money.

The South Royalton school is a K-12 school, and with only one gymnasium for 13 classes, there are many competing uses. In a letter to The Herald this week, sixth-grader David Ballou succinctly described the problems:

"When there is a play or musical," he wrote, "a lot of gym classes are cancelled because the gym is taken. Sometime gym classes also become unsafe. K-6 classes have P.E. Classes in the multi-purpose room. The floor picks up dust and becomes slippery, and is so humid that it sometimes creates hazardous puddles.

"With a new gym, K-6 would use the safer current gym."

Only Royalton voters can make the calculus that decides whether the expense is worth the gain to both school and community. We do believe, however, that the school board is on to an important trend when it points out the need to continue to attract students from schools without a high school of their own.

Parents and students, given the choice, are always going to choose a forward-looking school with up-to-date facilities over a school with outdated facilities..