Facilities Moving Forward

At the work session last night the Board reached consensus on the scope of facilities work for a potential bond vote in February.

The Work:

• New Elementary Building: very similar design to the current North Bend Elementary, 3 pods, 2 preschool rooms, 4 kindergarten rooms.  Plan for an elementary sized gym.
• Purchase of land for the new elementary building.
• New MS Addition:  60,000 square foot addition on the west end of the current MS. Would have new cafeteria, library, and classroom space for 500 students.  Also, new locker rooms.
• MS Renovation:  Update HVAC system with the new addition.  Improve electrical system within the building to support increased technology usage.
• Amana Elementary:  Update HVAC system by ensuring that all classroom spaces are air conditioned.
• High School:  First academic addition will be constructed.  Current weight room and wrestling room areas will be converted to a second gym space.  New weight room and wrestling room will be added to the south.

The Cost:

• Bond language would establish a limit of $48 million total cost for all projects listed above.

Key Points:

• The need for additional facilities is driven by our growing enrollment.
• We can fund this work without raising the school tax rate.  This is due to increasing valuations, the district lowering our cash reserve levy, lowering our management fund rate, and retiring some current debt service.

There will be an informational meeting on October 8, 7:00 pm, in the high school cafeteria.  

I will be posting information on the blog and we will be hosting a number of informational meetings throughout the next few months.  The Board also anticipates announcing the building site for the elementary in the near future.

Sincerely,

Tim Kuehl