Enrollment Growth Meetings

February 2012 Superintendent Mark Dockins

Presentation Purposes

 Why the need for a change?

 What are some proposed solutions?

 How much will the proposed solutions cost?

 When can the proposed plans be operational?

What is prompting this need for a change?

Explosive Enrollment Growth

 Uintah was the fastest growing school district in the state last year at 4.6%.

 Uintah continues to show enrollment growth even while other counties and states are in economic decline.

 Our senior class this year has 391 students which started with 451 Kindergarten students.

 This year our Kindergarten class has 726 students.

 Our Kindergarten class for next year is projected to be 785.

2006-2012 Enrollment History

9000 8500 8000 7500 7000 6500 6000 5500 5000

Enrollment Projections School East Side Elementary Vernal Middle Vernal Jr. High Uintah High School *Calculated with a three year average *Calculated with a five year average Oct 2011 Capacity Enrollment 3500 2860 1000 928 1000 1500 870 1133 Oct 2012 Enrollment *3071 *971 Oct 2015 Enrollment *3682 *1239 *1010 *1131 *1110 *1302

What are some proposed solutions?

Four Possible Solutions

 Adopt a Year-Round School Schedule  Build additions onto Vernal Middle and Vernal Junior High Schools to increase capacities  Bond to build a new high school, move 9 th up to the high school level and change the configuration at VJH/VMS graders  Complete Current 10 year plan with an addition at UHS to accommodate 9 th graders and change the configuration at VJH/VMS

Year-Round Schooling

 More efficient use of building  Research suggests it benefits At-Risk students  On-going costs:1M  Logistics of Scheduling

Additions at VJH/VMS

 Cost is not within scope of 10 year plan  Both schools have already been remodeled recently  How large do we want a middle school or junior high?

 Auditoriums, cafeterias, hallways, safety, space for addition at VJH?

New Configuration with High School

 K-5 Elementary schools  Two 6,7,8 middle/junior high school  Grades 9-12 high school

What Supports the Configuration of moving 9 th Grade to High School?

 Enrollment growth  Curriculum and activity needs match better with a 6/7/8 school vs 8/9 school   9 th grade credit/counseling Academic interventions  More efficient use of personnel and resources with 9 th grade at high school:   Performing Arts CTE/ATC/Concurrent Ed

UHS: Last School in Ten Year Plan  The scope of the ten year plan for the bond was to remodel UHS.  Within the scope of the remodel there are issues with stadium, cafeteria, auditorium and all mechanicals.  This is planned to be a two year project and is anticipated to be in the 20M range.

 An addition to handle capacity could be accomplished without raising taxes.

 Fiscal Responsibility

A New High School  Smaller high school atmosphere  More opportunities for students to participate in certain activities  How large do we want Uintah High School to be?

 Cost:  Expense of building and purchase of property  Expense of operating a new high school: duplication of everything a high school needs  Double the travel and expenses for extra-curricular/routes  Lose identity of a single high school community

Cost of Proposals

 Year-round School: 1M increase in operational costs  Additions to VJH/VMS:  4.5 M  Reconfiguration with New High School  Bond (50 to 60 M)   Property Building  Leeway (6M)  Maintenance and Operations  Reconfiguration with UHS Expansion (3.5 M to add classroom capacity)  UHS is last school on the ten year facilities plan and we can handle the cost of the remodel without bonding and raising taxes  Can be accomplished within the scope of the current ten year plan and funding

When will the proposed changes be implemented?

1.

Year-round School: 2013-14 2.

VMS/VJH Additions: 2014-15 3.

UHS Addition: 2014-15 4.

New High School: 2015-16

Thank you for your attendance. We appreciate your interest in what we are trying to accomplish.