NEWS RELEASE
REFERENDUM 2023 RESULTS: COMMUNITY SUPPORTS IMPORTANT FACILITY FUNDING IN SPECIAL ELECTION
On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, voters in the Hinton Community School District considered a four-question special election focusing on two important initiatives. Following the vote, the unofficial election results are:
Question 1 (GO Bond): 425 YES (51%) and 414 NO (49%)
Question 2 (Bond Levy Increase): 400 YES (48%) and 437 NO (52%)
Question 3 (VPPEL Levy Increase): 438 YES (53%) and 383 NO (47%)
Question 4 (VPPEL Extension): 408 YES (50%) and 408 NO (50%)
Superintendent Ken Slater expressed gratitude to the community for their support, particularly highlighting the passing of Question 3, the Voted PPEL levy increase. “This passing result will aid in ongoing maintenance of facilities, addressing high-priority projects as outlined in the long-term facility master plan, and assisting in coping with rising costs due to inflation. This decision is pivotal for the District's commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy educational environment for both staff and students.”
Slater continued, “I want to thank our community for their active participation during the facility planning process and the community engagement effort of the special election informational campaign. We believe these connections have strengthened the dialogue in our communities around facility planning and the continued success of Hinton schools.”
The District will continue to keep the community informed on the progress of current and future facility projects.
The Hinton Community School District calls for a special election on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, presenting voters with two initiatives comprised of four questions
INITIATIVE #1
Upgrading and Enhancing School Facilities
Initiative #1 (two questions) will:
Question #1: Authorization for the School Board to issue $16,145,000 in general obligation bonds to fund several school improvement projects. These projects aim to update and enhance school facilities, encompassing both infrastructure and programmatic enhancements.
Question #2: Approval to increase the maximum debt levy amount to $4.05 (from $2.70) per $1,000 in taxable property value, which will facilitate the payment of the general obligation bonds.
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Success for these critical Initiative #1 projects relies on both Question #1 and #2 passing with a 60% approval rate.
INITIATIVE #2
Sustaining Relevant School Infrastructure and Education Quality
Initiative #2 (two questions) will:
Question #3: Seeks to increase the amount of the Voted PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy) levy to $1.34 (from $0.67) per $1,000 in taxable property value. This increase in the annual budget will support ongoing maintenance of facilities, future projects outlined in the long-term facility master plan, and will help offset rising costs due to inflation.
Question #4: Pertains to the extension of the Voted PPEL levy authority for an additional ten years after 2025, as required by state regulations.
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Success for these critical Initiative #2 projects relies on both Question #3 and #4 passing with a 50% approval rate.
PHOTO GALLERY
AREAS OF CONCERN THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED IN THE BOND QUESTIONS
EXECUTING OUR MASTER FACILITY PLAN
The Hinton Community School District recognizes the importance of maintaining high-quality educational facilities and ensuring our students receive the best possible education. These referendum questions are designed to secure the necessary resources to achieve these goals and preserve our school's status as a cornerstone of our community.
INITIATIVE #1 PROJECT SCOPE
These projects will provide an enhanced educational experience for students and provide several needed updates to our facilities.
LEARNING SPACE IMPROVEMENTS
New main high school office with secure entry/check-in
New greenhouse for Ag/FFA programs
New elementary classrooms on north side of building
ACTIVITY SPACE IMPROVEMENTS
New gymnasium
SITE IMPROVEMENTS
New west driveway to include west parking lot with a traffic loop for high school drop off/pick up
New west entry plaza into the high school main office and proposed new gymnasium
New east parking lot for Wellness Center and school events
Replace existing high school windows with insulated windows
INITIATIVE #2 PROJECT SCOPE
State imposed borrowing limits do not allow us to complete all of the projects that were recommended by the community, including upgrading our building infrastructure and enhancing student and academic experiences. While the larger, higher cost projects were included in Initiative #1, the Voted PPEL funding in Initiative #2 will allow the school district to complete the additional high priority projects that have been added to the facility master plan.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Additional safety and security measures
Improve building and grounds ADA accessibility
SITE IMPROVEMENTS
Classroom improvements and modernizing
Replacing exterior doors that are beyond their life expectancy
Tuckpointing of brickwork needed to preserve the integrity of the building
Replacing existing roofs over the current shop area and 1968 admin area on the first floor
Adding aluminum flashing to the fascia to create a cleaner appearance
Paving the existing gravel parking lot that serves the Wellness Center
EFFICIENCY UPDATES
Sealing the building wherever infiltration is present to maximize energy efficiency
Converting second floor classrooms from steam to hot water heat
Replace existing heat pumps with new pumps and hot water heat exchangers
CONCEPTUAL RENDERINGS AND PLANS
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ⬇︎
DID YOU KNOW
Most of our learning environment is over 55 years old.
Hinton teachers and students have done an amazing job of producing high academic results. Most our current facility was designed for teaching and learning in the 1950s and 1960s. In order to maintain these high expectations in the future our facilities need to reflect enhanced teaching and learning environments of today. Building systems and learning environment updates and improvements will provide relevant and enhanced experiences that help students develop important skills in communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. These experiences will prepare our students to successfully enter the workforce or continue with post-secondary education upon graduation.
Our enrollment has steadily grown over the last 10 years.
Our enrollment has grown by 8% (over 60 students) since 2013. Hinton’s steady increase in enrollment is a positive sign for the school district’s future, indicating a healthy and thriving educational community. This referendum provides the necessary support for our continued growth and the ability to maintain the high-quality education our community expects.
Open enrollment benefits all of our students.
Students from other districts open enrolling into Hinton schools brings more than just friendships – it helps fund our specialty and advanced learning programs, too! And don't worry, we're keeping things balanced so it doesn't mess with our budget - we only open enroll students into classrooms that have existing capacity.
OPEN HOUSE
INFO NIGHTS
INFO NIGHTS
5:00–7:00 PM
Join us for a short presentation at 5:30pm, tour the school, and ask questions regarding the November 7, 2023 Bond Referendum question!
Thursday, October 12
Hinton Middle School/
High School
315 W Grand St, Hinton, IA
Thursday, October 26
With a Chili and Cinnamon Roll Supper!! Good will donation with proceeds going to the Hinton Booster Club
Hinton Middle School/
High School
315 W Grand St, Hinton, IA
A short presentation by Superintendent Ken Slater will begin at 5:30 pm.
COMMUNITY VOICE:
Critical Input for District Facility Planning
Critical Input for District Facility Planning
Community Advisory Committee
To ensure future facility decisions make sense for students, are fiscally responsible, and have community support, the Hinton School Board requested that a Community Advisory Committee be formed to focus on Hinton facilities and to provide insight and input as the board plans for the future of our schools.
From March to May 2023, the Community Facility Advisory Committee, composed of 25 volunteer community members who represented a cross section of the community, met five weeks, investing over 12 hours of their time doing the following:
Extensive tour of the buildings
Examined facility engineering assessments
Learned about Iowa school financing, the District’s current financial position, and funding options from the District’s financial consultant
Studied district demographics and enrollment information
Reviewed facility improvement options
Community-wide Survey
Between May 19 - June 9, 317 Hinton residents completed a survey about their thoughts regarding district facility planning.
This community-wide survey was an extension of the work being done by the Community Community Advisory Committee, our staff, and district leadership. YOUR INPUT WAS HEARD AND IS VALUED!
THE PROCESS
MASTER PLANNING AND REVIEW / OCTOBER 2022 - FEBRUARY 2023
Comprehensive Facilities Assessment conducted by SitelogIQ to assess physical, educational, and functional needs
Internal staff comfort and functional needs surveys completed
Facility Assessment Review where asset condition assessments and survey data are presented to the school board and District administration
Solutions and Funding Review including prioritizations, project scenarios, and potential cost budgets to solutions are presented to the school board and District administration
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT / MARCH 2023 - JULY 2023
The Community Engagement process begins and the Community Facility Advisory Committee is formed
The Community Facility Advisory Committee reviews data from the Assessment Review phase, tours the facilities, learns more about District finances and has an opportunity to provide input, feedback, opinions and vision
Community survey is conducted
WORKSHOPPING / MAY 2023 - AUGUST 2023
Community Facility Advisory Committee reports their findings, from facility tours and meetings, to the School Board
School Board begins workshopping potential facility solutions and projects
PROJECT SELECTION AND ELECTION / AUGUST 2023 - NOVEMBER 2023
Board approves selected scope and passes a resolution committing to move forward with a November 7, 2023 Referendum
Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - Bond Referendum Vote