Infrastructure & Transportation Committee Presentation Heather - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Infrastructure & Transportation Committee Presentation

East Helena Public Schools Programming for Future Elementary School Needs

Heather Ireland Moriah Bucy Martin Balukas Ron Whitmoyer Scott Cromwell East Helena District #9 School Board of Trustees Meeting June 13, 2016

The Need

Brief History

November 23, 2015 – Began with 6 options which grew to 12 options generated by the LTIC community members February 22, 2016 – Narrowed to 4 options by the LTIC community members March 22, 2016 – Community workshop to develop the “Guiding Principles” utilizing disregarded Option 5 as a test April 25, 2016 – 4 options vetted against each other utilizing the Guiding Principles. Option 2 is dropped. Three (3) options are forwarded to the Infrastructure and Transportation Committee for further action. October 26, 2015 – Committee members create list of 16 Assumptions

Assumptions

• Growth in enrollment at nearly 30 students per year
• Subdivision/Development will continue to grow in this economy
• Growth in school enrollment will be 0.2 students per new residence
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield employees look to live close to work
• “Early Edge” otherwise known as Pre-school will happen in the near future
• The high quality East Helena Schools education will continue to draw more

families to East Helena

• Assume Tuition requests will continue at current or higher rates
• Teachers will continue to want their kids to attend East Helena Schools
• Assume MVM will continue to build 45 new homes per year
• Assume Canyon Ridge Subdivision will build 25 new homes per year
• Assume State Support of taxable valuation will decline
• Plan for 15-20 years of growth in the selected plan
• Without new classroom space the quality of education will suffer

Canyon Ridge Subdivision

October 31, 2015 – 2 homes May 14, 2016 – 9 complete

• r nearly complete homes,

4 in the framing stage and 6 foundations underway

Canyon Ridge Subdivision

123 Total lots in development (all phases): 64 sold, 59 available

Mountain View Meadows

Potential 800+ homes in Mountain View Meadows

The Principles

Refining the Options began with the creation of Guiding Principles. What are Guiding Principles?

Guiding Principles Any set of principles that guide or assist in the definition

• f an organization throughout its life in all circumstances,

irrespective of changes in its goals and strategies. Guiding principles define value and shape the processes we use to establish outcomes.

Guiding Principles

• Educationally Appropriate for the best interests of the

students

• Provide for Students’ Safety and Security
• Develop Appropriate Infrastructure for the grade level served
• Fiscally Responsible
• Provide a solution(s) promoting 20 years of Enrollment Growth

minimum

• Provide Community Space
• Promote Sustainability, Flexibility, Innovation
• Location that supports ease of interaction between all faculty

and staff

Guiding Principles Most appropriate educationally for the best interests of the students

• It is important that like grades fit together and are in the same school

building

• Student teacher ratios need to remain at optimum (OPI) levels
• Be able to adapt to modern technology

Location

• How will the new design impact the current infrastructure?
• Shared building resources will save the district money
• Having all like grade teachers in the same school building has provided

for better collaboration and efficiency of staff

• Teacher planning and pooling resources translates to a consistent

learning environment.

Guiding Principles Provide for Students’ Safety and Security

• Secure entrances controlled by front offices at each building with security

cameras throughout.

• Balanced and welcoming environment
• Staff appropriately for “eyes on students”
• Location and design of the building enhances security
• Accessible and safe with physical separation from playground at drop off

and pick up

• Controllable ingress and egress at vehicular traffic locations
• Eliminate blind spots in parking areas and provide well lit exterior
• Walking paths and connections to community/other buildings
• Lockdown capability
• Develop school evacuation plan and location (off site)

Guiding Principles Appropriate Infrastructure for the grade level served

• Appropriate to/for the grade level
• Meals and lunch are on time and coordinated
• Provide a new kitchen in a new facility (or add to existing) to share the

burden on the Radley kitchen

• Additional/New Gymnasium space with bleacher space for events
• Playground age appropriate playground equipment
• Thermal Comfort. A/C is more important as the climate changes.
• Lighting – natural/artificial, interior/exterior
• Generator or generator ready (emergency back up power)

Guiding Principles Fiscally Responsible

• Sellable and justifiable to parents and taxpayers
• Needs vs. Wants will be outlined/prioritized
• Low maintenance/Maintainability
• Bond market is affordable now. Construction cost are also reasonable

now.

• Schools in the State of Montana: currently $30,000 to $40,000 per

student or approximately $185-195/SF

• What other requests around the county will be facing taxpayers?

Timelines?

• What is the cost to local tax payers?

Guiding Principles Provide Community space

• Gym/Multipurpose Rooms to be accessible to the public for outside

events (Scouts, Dance classes)

• Opportunities for adult learning classes/education
• New Auditorium
• Community health center space if possible/allowable. Could be a funding

generator.

• Teen club for youth not able to drive and giving them a place to go (after

school and summers). Provide spaces and areas for them.

• Community Pool

Guiding Principles Sustainability, Flexibility, Innovation

• Provide for/plan for year round comfort
• LED and Natural lighting
• Attractive and Energy Efficient building
• Green space outside space for learning
• Provide/allow for 20 years of growth
• Innovative designs that support innovative teaching
• Changing/adapting rooms with minimal effort/cost
• All infrastructure is flexible. Capable to adapt to multiple age groups.
• Large storage areas
• Potential for unfinished space but not building so much that it is unused

and being paid for unnecessarily.

• Provide for technology and infrastructure updates/upgrades…size

appropriately

• Internet access and service capability is paramount
• Allow for flexibility of Staffing
• Plan for future expansion

Guiding Principles MATRIX

Place 1-5 for each Guiding Principle on each Option above

The Options

Additions to Eastgate and EVMS Schools

• Less cost to taxpayers than new building
• Easy transition
• ↓Short-term Bonding
• Infrastructure in place not adding more

administration

• Maximizes on how EVMS was built (To Expand)
• Level Bonding - Little to no tax increase
• Potential favorable interest (among voters)
• Affects all demographics, generating greater

voter interest

• Potentially different schedules for 5th - 6th &

7th - 8th

• EVMS could be modified with a rebuild (Based on

current design)

• No land issues, construct on existing footprint
• Largest Capacity: 1,846 students
• EVMS - 5th Grade Socialization. Are 5th

Graders mature enough and emotionally ready?

• Lunch Schedules
• Number of Paras:

↑ # of Students ↑ Long-term Bonding

• ↔ Curriculum Adjustments necessary
• Shifting “the Problem" to new building?
• Will it meet a 20-year term solution?
• Separation from Grade School/Assemblies and

Anti-Bully

• “Need” separation from 8th Grade
• EG Parking lot still an issue (Transportation

plan)

• Gym Times/Prep time - New Gym?
• Back to address issues in 5 years?
• Concurrent construction projects with school

term

• Makes EVMS a "Mega" School
• Could Alter but #'s/Schedules (May not allow)
• Make sure 5th Graders are integrated

PROS CONS

New School Building

• No large maintenance issues
• Designed the way we want
• ↑ $ Revenue/Facility Rental
• ↑ Facility Availability
• Early Childhood Building
• Room for growth at Radley (3rd -5th able to use

entire building) and other schools (20 yr. Solution)

• Interest Rates are Low (Investment)
• New school north of Radley - Water/Sewer

tie-in

• Availability Good
• Land Available
• East Helena Fire Dept/Police (safety)
• Doesn't split teams (Grade Levels)
• Cheaper to build for 20 years now leaving

some space unfinished to accommodate future growth

• Maintains facilities/shops etc. for EVMS

without cost of new facilities

• Capacity: 1,806 students
• ↓ Long-term Funding & Flexibility
• = Size to Additions ↑$ Bonding/tax
• Getting a Bond Passed
• Managing kids at multiple schools
• Increase staff - Support, Specialty,

Maintenance and Administration

• Specialists will have to move from building

to building

• Land location:
• Transportation plan
• Busing issues with tight time frames
• Assumes Pre-K
• Increase Food Service needs to include

staff

• Building another gym will have additional

costs

PROS CONS

New School

• Having Pre-K, K, 1 & 2 at Eastgate (good)
• Transitions from smaller class size to larger as

kids get older

• Kids only separate up through 2nd grade then

combined

• Allows for expansion bubble of kids at grade

level

• Location matters too
• Neighborhood Schools for “Littles”
• Less Transitions
• Relationships between Teachers and Staff

become harder to maintain

• Won't last 15-20 years at current growth rate
• Sizing of facilities for smaller children limits

building's flexibility

• Splitting of teams creates very large team
• Walk to Read
• Could cause a stigma of one school versus

the other

• Split on Title One/Lose funding Depending
• n location?
• How is it decided which Teachers will move?

(Eastgate: PreK – 2; New School: PreK – 2; Radley 3rd - 5th; EVMS 6th - 8th)

PROS CONS

New School

• Having Pre-K & Kindergarten (Eastgate)
• Doesn't split teams (Grade Levels)
• Lots of building changes (transitions) for

kids(4 in 9-10 Years, 5 in PK-12 Career)

• Isolates Kindergarten from 1st-2nd

Socialization

• K - 2 Isolated from Older Role Models
• If Child doesn't attend Pre-K, they will be

at same school for only 1 Year (possibility for more anxiety) (Eastgate: PreK – K; New School: 1st - 2nd; Radley 3rd - 5th; EVMS 6th - 8th)

PROS CONS

The Cost

Total Site Cost - Eastgate $400,000.00 est. Total Site Cost - East Valley Middle School $190,000.00 est. Building Additions Costs (both schools) $160-175/sf

Includes Development Costs (Contingency, Inflation, Permits, Testing, etc..)

School Additions

Total Site Cost $1,400,000.00

Connect to City of East Helena for services

Total Building Cost $180-195/sf

Includes Development Costs (Contingency, Inflation, Permits, Testing, etc..)

New School Building

Thank You!

Questions?