Engaging Our Community Members Around the Challenges and Opportunities in Our Future

Over the course of the last several months, we have been engaged in a community wide effort to discern future needs in our school district. While conceptually focused on the high school, this discussion has roots going back to 2018. The work done at that time resulted in the complete renovation and addition to the K-8 building. We are quite proud of this investment and swell with pride when visitors enter the facility and make the comment about our new elementary school. That's right, it has been mistaken for a new building!

When planning for and executing our elementary school project, we knew at the time this wouldn't be the end of our story. After all, right across the street is a (now) 24 year old high school that is beginning to show it's age. That is where the work of our high school task force began. Since January, this group has been engaged with our architects to dream, study, and prioritize our next facility project. 

Much like our previous project, the list of needs and wants far exceed our capacity to do everything we would like. And like the elementary school, this prioritization is so important. As we did then, we must now separate needs from wants. That is where the similarities end.

When considering all 3 phases of the elementary renovation project, we were all in at about $5.5 million. By using cash on hand and revenue bonds, we were able to fund this project with existing sources and anticipated sales tax growth out to 2029. Our investment as a community was limited to sales tax revenue with no impact on property taxes. We just had to make sure when executing this bond sale we had enough revenue left to fund our other priorities, such as our annual technology outlay. Those priorities remain sacred and must continue to be protected as we move forward with our next project.

As we now turn our focus to the high school, it is important to first understand the same funding mechanism can't be used. Why? Well, we have used all the capacity we can without jeopardizing other district priorities. Second, until we get a bit more of the current debt paid off (for the elementary), there just isn't a whole lot of capacity anyway. 

So, where do we turn? Well, to be honest the only realistic option is a general obligation bond. This will require an investment from you, the property owner. The task force has been working hard at identifying the needs of the district, and they are far reaching. In fact, they exceed even what our capacity would be with a general obligation bond. That is why your input now is so critically important. You should have recently received a post card invitation to complete a survey that helps us to identify the challenges and opportunities in our school district as we plan for this next project. This feedback will be critical to us as we prepare for a potential referendum and special election in September. If you haven't had the opportunity to complete the survey yet, please do so at your earliest convenience. Please click here to complete the survey. Time is running short since the survey closes on May 6. 

It is also important to keep this in mind as well. Our district is growing, and if the last two years are any indication, we are growing rapidly. Part of the calculus with this project will also be positioning us for the project that is likely to follow the renovation of the high school. What will that be? If enrollment growth continues, only time will tell.