Beggs, Oklahoma Builds Two Monolithic Domes

Beggs ISD: Ready to construct new classrooms and events center – 2004

After receiving a Monolithic Dome School packet via snail mail, Marsha Norman, Superintendent of Beggs ISD in Beggs, Oklahoma gathered a few school board members and Architect Michael McCoy and headed to Italy, Texas to discuss building options with David South and tour nearby Monolithic Dome gymnasiums and homes.

Since visiting, Beggs ISD has switched building plans. They’ve gone from a metal school building to a Monolithic Dome facility – not just one dome, but two. A 112’ diameter dome, on a 12’ Orion wall, will provide 9 additional classrooms, offices and a student commons area.

A 160’ diameter gymnasium/event center will be built on a 24’ Orion wall. It will provide seating for 1800 spectators and an additional 300-400 temporary, on-the-floor seats when needed. Norman said, “Our present facility is not handicap accessible, and that’s why we really needed to get something new.”

Beggs ISD encompasses 171 square miles and serves 1100 students, Pre-K through 12th grade. The Beggs community has a population of only 1300, so the school district covers an extensive rural area.

According to Norman, “Everyone is extremely excited about the project. I am not sure the kids really know what’s going on yet, but the adults in the district are very excited.”

A ribbon cutting – 2006

“They love it,” said ISD Superintendent Marsha Norman when asked how her district’s students liked their new gymnasium and event center.

On January 24, 2006, the students participated in the grand opening of the facility, designed by Architect Michael McCoy and constructed by Dome Technology of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

According to Ms. Norman, the grand opening was a big event for this small, rural town of just 4.3 square miles. Most of the residents plus many from outlying areas attended, creating an estimated crowd of 1500.

The celebration featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a keynote address by former graduate Rod Thompson who is now with Cox Cable TV, a few other speeches and an auction of reserved seats.

The audience included Oklahoma State Representative Dale Turner, County Commissioner Roger Ballenger and OSSAA Associate Executive Ed Robinson. (OSSAA stands for Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, a private, nonprofit organization that oversees school sports and activities.)

Asked how the adults – both visitors and residents – liked the dome, Ms. Norman said, "Oh, they love it too. It’s a little loud — but the kids don’t seem to mind that and the crowd really didn’t seem to mind. But sometimes, because of the reverberation, it was a little hard to understand the speaker. So we are going to see what we can do about that.

“Otherwise, we have no complaints, and I have not heard any negatives. The response has been very, very positive. It’s a really neat facility.”

Note: This article combines information from three others, published between 2004 and 2006, and includes prices from that time period.