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Home My WebLink About03-07-2017 Minutes Community Meeting SCMSEl (��/NNEVILLE JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 93 'Stu dent vsaccess by Design " 3497 North Ammon Road, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83401 ' (208) 525-4400 ! Fax (208) 529-0104 0 www.d93schools.org Dr. Charles J. Shackett, Superintendent Marjedn McCwit.ell, Deputy Superintendent Scott Woolstenhuhm, Assistant Superintendent Community Meeting March 7, 2017 7:30 PM Sandcreek Middle School Cafeteria 2955 E Owen Street, Ammon, ID 83406 I. Call to Order Chairman Jeff Bird called the meeting to order at 7:30 p,m. ll, Roll Call Jeff Bird present Paul Jenkins present Amy Landers present Greg Calder present Chad Dance present III. Welcome Visitors and Delegations Those in attendance were Superintendent Dr. Charles Shackett, Chief Financial/Operations Officer Guy Wangsgard, Director of Maintenance & Operations John Pymm, Energy Education Specialist Don Trauntvein, Director of Safe Schools & Technology Gordon Howard, Community Relations and Communications Phil Campbell, Director of Elementary Special Education and Federal Programs Rex Miller, Sandcreek Middle School Principal Yvonne Thurber, Sandcreek Middle School Assistant Principal Kent Sawyer, Rocky Mountain Middle School Principal Jason Lords, Hillcrest Assistant Principal Craig Miller, Bonneville Assistant Principal Trent Dabell, and Board Clerk Mary Hansen. IV. Presentation by District Facilities Committee - John Pymm, Director of Maintenance & Operations Chairman Bird invited John Pymm to present findings from the District Facilities Committee relating to the elementary schools discussion and the increased student growth in the District. Mr. Pymm stated a Facilities Committee was formed to examine the needs in our district as it relates to growth and building of future schools. The current options are: • First, to move the current 6u" graders from the elementary schools to the middle school level and build a third middle school • Second, to build one or more new elementary schools • Third, build additions to four existing elementary schools: Iona, Discovery, Summit Hills, Woodland Hills Mr. Pymm stated that the architect and CM/GC have already been selected for this project who will advise the district and provide ideas. He handed out a Projected Project Cost sheet for both elementary and middle school options. Projected costs do not increase the tax rate and also includes inflation. The middle school principals, Yvonne Thurber, Sandcreek MS and Jason Lords, Rocky Mountain MS, shared their views of the 6th graders moving up to the middle school level. It was mentioned that 14 years ago 6th graders were in the middle schools in this district, They spoke to the Middle school philosophy and other patron concerns: • Segregation - Groups of 150 students are taught with a four teacher team and will not interact with 7th and 8th graders for core subjects; • Elective classes will be mixed grade students; • Can provide upper level classes for advanced students; • More extracurricular opportunities; • Transitioning from one school to another is always challenging. It can lower academic results and effect test scores; • Transitioning can be harder for boys than for girls; Board of Trustees 0 Jeff Bird 0 Paul Jenkins 0 Amy Landers 0 Greg Calder- Chad Dance Bonneville Join* School District No. 93 is an Equal Opportunity Employer • Seventy-nine percent of the nation's 6th graders are in a middle school setting; • Administration has looked at possible concerns; such as, increased behavior problems, lower test scores, and increased influence of older students; • Saving money seems to be important to this community. Moving 6th graders and building a new middle school will be more cost effective than building or adding on to elementary schools; and • Both Sandcreek MS and Rocky Mountain MS are growing; another middle school is obviously needed. V. Financial Presentation - Mark Bird, Finance Committee Chairman Bird invited Mark Bird to present information from the District Finance Committee relating to bonding necessary for any additional building for the district to accommodate the student growth in the district. Mr. Bird presented information that answers the questions of what is the bonding capacity that district is now at and what can we can do without raising taxes? Main points were: • Current bond capacity is $34.5 million without raising taxes • Conservative assumptions include 4% market value growth, supplemental levy increase to $5.8 million, and a 17.5 year bond. • Increasing our bonding capacity would require waiting for the market value growth to increase, raising the levy rate, lengthening the bond terms, or using lower or no -coupon bonds. • Building a middle school is needed due to growth and is the best solution relating to cost. • If 6th graders remain at the elementary level, 1-2 new elementary schools will need to be built. VI. Public Input Chairman Bird invited any patrons to express their suggestions and concerns relating to the increase in student growth in the district. The main topics discussed were: • There are many issues that need attention: school building options, timeline for boundary changes, and moving forward with a bond in August. • If a middle school is built, it will include the 6th grade students. • Benefits for 6th graders moving into a middle school are more extracurricular opportunities, elective classes, and advanced math classes. • Involve the current 6th grade teachers in this discussion. • Sixth grade teachers will move with the 6th grade students; many 6th grade students need more one-on- one help and support from the teacher. They are fundamental in the transitioning of the students. • Collect input from the 6th, 7th and 8th graders. • Core standards are different for the level of certification that teachers hold, either K-5 or 6-12 certification. Therefore, it is more sensible to have the 6th graders in middle school. • Support is needed for both the student and the teachers. • Timeline for bonding for new buildings will need to be on the August ballot. • Proposed opening timelines would be 2019 for elementary school and 2020 for middle school. • It costs more to expedite the construction process. • When bonds are paid off, the available funds are then used to pay existing principle payments on other bonds. • There is a possibility of bonding for a middle school without raising taxes if there would be an increase in the market value growth. • Required off-site county improvements, such as traffic lights, will rise the cost of bonding. • Retention of teachers will come with smaller classes. • Student education suffers with overcrowding; parking lots are not safe with increased parent traffic. • Options for the overcrowding at current elementary schools could include boundary changes, adding more modular trailers, bussing students to other schools that have available classrooms, andlor relocating special needs programs. • Empty classrooms are at Fairview, ikon, Tiebreaker, Falls Valley and Hillview elementaries. • Community concerns with the age of Ammon Elementary — refurbish or rebuild? • A survey could be sent out to the community and parents to see if they would support a small tax increase in order to bond for more. • Not all the district schools are over capacity; it is just a few areas. • There is growth at both the north and south ends of the district. Both areas need to be considered with the building plans. • The district owns many parcels of land for both elementary and middle school options. • It is more logical to build a middle school now; however, elementary schools are needed too. • The rapid growth we now see was not assumed when the current elementary schools were built. • Some boundaries were realigned after the schools were built. Many factors play into boundary changes. • Many of the newer current elementary schools were built as neighborhood schools; the architectural plans were reused and are not easily expanded. • Any future elementary schools need to be larger in the beginning and with a design that will accommodate growth; smaller schools are not cost effective. • Larger schools might be more cost effective, however, principals do not feel connected to their students and families. • Educational value of an auditorium is better acoustics for performances and school programs for both students, parents, and community. • It will cost more to operate a middle school; however, but with the increase of students the cost will equalize out. • K-8 online school option is now available in the district. • Bonneville Joint School District 93 has the accommodations for the special need students. Finding adequate space is a priority and the district will thoroughly review if any changes need made. • Boundary changes are a part of life. They are often harder on the parents than on the students. • Patron safety concerns pertaining to the modular trailers, narrow bridges, no sidewalks, busy intersections and streets, snorter school zones, parents and parking lots, lack of crossing guards, etc. • Any road and bridge concerns need to be taken to the County Commissioners. • Safety bussing is available for walking neighborhoods during the winter months. • Currently the transportation department is looking for more bus drivers. • Money spent wisely is money spent well. • What's best for students should be the focus. VII. Adiournment Chairman Bird asked for a motion to adjourn at 9:25 p.m. MOTION: Chad Dance made the motion to adjourn. Amy Landers seconded, The vote was 5 in favor with 0 opposed and 0 abstentions. Motion was carried. APPROVED: Chairman ATTESTED: Clerk Date: Date: r 117, /��