PROCESS:

The district's administrative team and Board of Education collaborate with internal and external sources to help drive decisions throughout the master planning process. The district typically maintains a one, three, and five year master facilities plan. Accurate projections beyond five years is conceptually difficult due to our rapid growth. We monitor enrollment data monthly which informs our decisions and we revisit plans each year. Many of our decisions are limited by our ability to fund projects. By law, we are only allowed debt up to 5% of our total valuation of district properties.

Demographics & Enrollment Study

In early 2019, the district partnered with RSP & Associates on an updated enrollment analysis. The study considered factors such as past and present student enrollment, current and anticipated residential development in the area, and other data to calculate projected student enrollment over the next 10 years and predict where residential growth will occur. The district uses RSP's findings to better understand demographic trends, school utilization, and the timing of construction projects.

• To view the full report by RSP & Associates, click here.

Evaluation of Current Facilities

Following completion of the enrollment analysis, the district partnered with SVPA to evaluate current facilities. The evaluation consisted of building tours, interviews with teachers and administrators, and review of the recent enrollment study. As part of their evaluation, the architects identified the functional capacity of each building which can be used in conjunction with enrollment projections to identify when buildings may reach or exceed capacity.

In conclusion, SVPA’s findings included both short term and long term recommendations.

• Short Term: SVPA identified areas of the current middle school that would benefit from renovations that increase the building's functional capacity in the short term, those projects are anticipated to be complete by the fall of 2020.

• Long Term: The second, and most notable of SVPA's findings is the recommendation of a new building to be constructed that would allow the district to accommodate the rapid projected growth in student enrollment.

Internal Committees

• Infrastructure: The infrastructure committee is tasked with aligning district funds and resources with the needs of our students, staff, and community. Depending on need and volume of projects, members meet between six to eight times annually to not only review space needs, but also improvement projects, regular maintenance, and cost saving measures. It is an exciting time in our growing district. The infrastructure committee is integral in forecasting the needs of the district, then delivering those needs at the most ideal time.

• Finance: The finance committee is responsible for all school district financial matters. This includes but is not limited to; the review of all school district financial funds, creating systems and procedures that help streamline and monitor the districts fiscal position, a thorough invoice/bill review, etc.

In regards to master facilities planning, the committee provides input on revenue allocations available through the General Fund, Physical Plant & Equipment Levy Fund (PPEL) and Secure and Advance Vision for Education Fund (SAVE) for capital projects. Consideration is given to both short-term and long-term facility planning (financing improvements to our existing schools and possible future schools). The finance committee is always considering the district’s growth topics with a significant financial impact that need to be acted upon by the Board including transportation, building and grounds, and any other topics.

Recommended Solution

The district utilizes information from external sources and internal committees as well as staff input to guide master facilities planning process. Based on data and feedback the administrative team and Board of Education agreed to recommend the construction of a new building that would alleviate capacity issues and alter the district's grade configuration. With voter approval, a new building would be constructed to serve students in grades 7 and 8, which will help to sustain the district's growth projections through 2028.