A classroom at Mary Stark Elementary will get new flooring later this year.

The district wants to move toward solid vinyl tile over carpet in classrooms. Business Manager Joe Lukach presented the reasons at the Mandan School Board meeting Monday.

Vinyl tile would be easier to clean and repair compared to the carpet currently installed in many classrooms, he said. Carpet tiles are another, less expensive option, but do not have the same lifespan as the vinyl tile.

"The tile in the middle school has a 15-year warranty," Lukach said. "Carpet, you figure an eight-year lifetime. That's probably 'good looking' carpet life."

Carpet could last longer, but it would show the wear and tear, he said. The district installed carpet tiles and vinyl tiles in the new middle school.

The cost of vinyl tile versus carpet tile is about $1.22 per square foot compared to $1.83 per square foot. Lukach had samples of the vinyl and carpet tile at the meeting. The vinyl tile sample covered less square feet than the carpet tile sample.

The cost will come from the capital improvement fund, contingency fund or through a line-item budget for missing or moving costs, Lukach said.

A combination of vinyl and carpet tiles might be considered in elementary classrooms so that students do not need to sit on tile during reading time.

The classroom at Mary Stark will be a pilot, and in April the district will decide whether to proceed with vinyl tile on other reflooring projects when it decides capital improvement projects this spring.

In other board news, the board approved a calendar for the next school year. Teachers will be back Aug. 24, and students will be back to school Aug. 27. The last day of school for students is May 26 and graduation is May 30.

Four calendar options were voted on by all school employees. The board went with the calendar the majority of the staff supported.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)