Transcript Document

Community Forum to Update
the Sandusky Community
“Building Better Dreams”
The Educational & Facilities Plan
for 21st Century Learning
Sandusky High School
September 25, 2014
6:00 pm
PURPOSE: The purpose of our meeting today is to update the
parents, grandparents, and citizens of Sandusky about the
recommendation to build two state of the art elementary school
facilities and upgrades to science, physics, chemistry, and
technology labs at Sandusky High School.
GOALS FOR THE COMMUNITY FORUMS:
1. Provide a timeline of activities over the last two years that has resulted in the
facilities recommendation.
2. Communicate that the facilities recommendation is based on the district's
academic goals, called The Transformation Plan.
3. Communicate all of the significant aspects of the facilities plan, including
the rationale, vision, logic, configuration, location, and historic nature of this
facilities opportunity and our partnership with Ohio School Facilities Commission.
4. Provide comprehensive details on all cost factors associated with the facilities plan.
5. Continue our commitment to transparency and open dialogue on all issues
associated with the facilities plan and to post all comments and questions on
our website for observation and review by all members of the community.
Dr. Eugene Sanders with the Campaign Leadership Team
and the Sandusky Board of Education Members
THE TRANSFORMATION PLAN TIMELINE AND THE
RECOMMENDATION FOR SCHOOL FACILITIES
• Started initial Transformation Plan discussions in the spring semester of 2013
• Held over 40 community and small group meetings seeking feedback and vetting
the key elements of the Transformation Plan
• Utilized a 35 member Transformation Plan Committee to make academic and
organizational recommendations that resulted in the Transformation Plan
• Official rollout of the Transformation Plan in March 2014
• Academic Year 2014-2015 is the first year implementation of the Transformation Plan
• Developed 12 Pillars of the Transformation Plan, of which School Facilities is the final pillar
THE TRANSFORMATION PLAN TIMELINE AND THE
RECOMMENDATION FOR SCHOOL FACILITIES
•
Board of Education reviewed and vetted all facilities recommendations and
voted unanimously to officially place the recommendation on the ballot for
November 4, 2014.
•
Campaign leadership is organized to present strong arguments to the community
to maximize this historic opportunity to build state of the art buildings for decades
to come for the children of the Sandusky City Schools.
THE FACILITIES PLAN
Build state of the art Elementary Schools:
• PreK-2 on the former Hancock Elementary School site
• Grades 3-6 on the current Ontario Elementary School site
Invest $2.1 million in early childhood development by including a
citywide emphasis on Preschool.
Invest $4.4 million in STEAM:
S: Science Labs for Biology, Chemistry and Physics
T: Technology Labs for Video Distance Learning for Global
Experience, College and Career Readiness Opportunities
E: Engineering Fabrication Lab
A: Arts Academy
M: Mathematics Collaboration Space
THE FACILITIES PLAN
Connect our instructional framework of Project-Based Learning
and 21st Century Skills of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration,
and communication
We will retain:
• Adams Building for online and alternative education for the
Sandusky Digital Academy
• Jackson Building (selective demo) will utilize gymnasium
and pool for student and community use
• Mills Elementary will be repurposed into
Adult and Career Options
• Venice Heights Elementary will be repurposed into the
Regional Center for Advanced Academic Studies (RCAAS)
• Osborne Elementary School we will partner with community
groups for effective community use
Total Cost: $57,713,289
New Construction of Two Grade Level Specific
Elementary Buildings/Abatement and Demo
PK-2 Elementary
3-6 Elementary
Abatement/Demo
26,833,093.00
21,171,192.00
3,209,004.00
Total
PALFI*
51,213,289.00
6,500,000.00
Co-Funded Project
State Share
51,213,289.00
27,655,176.06
Local Share & PALFI
30,058,112.94
Millage
3.98
*PALFI: Project Agreement Locally Funded Initiative
• Ohio School Facilities
Commission Co-Fund: 54%
• Sandusky Residents will fund: 46%
• Locally funded initiative
$6.5 million ($2.1 million for
Preschool & $4.4 million for
science labs at SHS)
• Total millage: 3.98 mills
• A home in Sandusky valued
at: $100,000 would equate to
$0.38 a day
STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES REGARDING THE FACILITIES PLAN
• RATIONALE: The school facilities plan is based on the core foundation
of our academic plan and the need to provide 21st Century facilities
to meet the needs of our students and also meet and exceed global
competitive expectations.
• VISION: Our vision is to provide facilities for this new generation of
learners. We believe that it is our turn to create a new vision for students
and families in Sandusky, Ohio. Merging our academic vision with our
facilities plan will usher in a new era of teaching and learning in the
Sandusky City Schools.
• CONFIGURATION: Aligning our elementary grades in Preschool–2 and
grades 3-6 will allow us to build on teacher professional development
by teachers of similar grades in the district being together, reducing
expenses, building cohesive practices, and increasing accountability
of all employees.
STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES REGARDING THE FACILITIES PLAN
• LOCATION OF FACILITIES: School officials reviewed the benefits of
building on property we own next to the high school on Hayes Avenue
and also building within the neighborhoods. The ultimate decision was
to embed our elementary buildings within the neighborhoods. Current
enrollment and school assignments have students attending schools
throughout the district. Our decision will preserve neighborhood values
and provide a setting conducive to youth development
• OHIO SCHOOL FACILITIES COMMISSION: Sandusky City Schools will
partner with the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC), who will
provide 54% of the cost of this project. This equates to approximately
$27 million dollars of the project. The OSFC Construction Manual
provides comprehensive details of the rules and procedures associated
with building projects throughout the state.
STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES REGARDING THE FACILITIES PLAN
• COST: The total cost of the building project is $57.7 million dollars. This is
a “shared cost” project, meaning OSFC and Sandusky City Schools are
partnering for this building initiative. If successful in November, the
facilities will be financed through purchasing bonds. The arrangements
are similar to a mortgage that is paid over a number of years.
• PROJECT ALLOCATION LOCAL FUNDED INITIATIVE (PALFI): There are
certain components of the construction building plans that OSFC will
not cover. Local residents are responsible for those uncovered costs.
For our plan, local residents are committed to preschool education
and science labs at the high school that meet our global perspectives
curriculum and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
Arts, and Mathematics)
STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES REGARDING THE FACILITIES PLAN
• LOGISTICS DURING THE BUILDING PROGRAM: The ideal plan is to allow
students to remain in their elementary buildings while the new facilities
are being built. The embedded sites will allow for students to transition
from the former buildings to the new facility. The district has available
building space to house transitional facilities requirements if needed.
Additionally, the Senior Leadership Team has the experience of building
over 60 new buildings over the last ten years and will be able to provide
fiscal guidance and oversight of quality construction of the new
facilities
• IMMEDIATE AND LONG TERM USE OF THE FORMER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SITE:
The old Memorial Hospital site will be kept for re-development as a
softball field and for other academic/athletic/community needs as our
future planning moves forward.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question 1: The initial location for the new facilities was the former Memorial Hospital site
next to the Sandusky High School. Why was this plan changed?
The Senior Leadership Team and the Board of Education consulted with parents and community
leaders about the initial recommendation for the new schools. After listening to feedback, the
decision was made to embed the schools within existing neighborhoods. While we no longer
have neighborhood schools in the traditional sense (as students attend schools from various
neighborhoods throughout the city), we want to support the notion of “schools in our
neighborhoods.”
Question 2: What exactly is the plan for new school facilities for Sandusky City Schools?
The recommendation is to build two state of the art elementary buildings. The plan is to build
one Preschool-2 building at the former Hancock Elementary Site and one building for grades 3-6
at the former Ontario Elementary school site. Additionally, there are funds set aside to build new
science, chemistry, and physics labs at Sandusky High School, in order to meet our
Transformation Plan goals for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
Question 3: Will Sandusky taxpayers pay for the entire amount of this project?
No. The Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) will share the cost of these new facilities. The
cost-sharing ratio is 54% of the cost to be paid for by OSFC and 46% will be paid for by the
residents of Sandusky.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question 4: How much will it cost the average homeowner in Sandusky to build these schools
and make the changes at Sandusky High School?
A home in Sandusky valued at $100,000 will cost the taxpayer approximately 38 cents a day for
this project.
Question 5: What is our plan for the current buildings in the District if this plan is successful?
We will retain Venice Heights Elementary School and likely transform it into the Regional Center
for Advanced Academic Studies (RCAAS). Our plan for Mills Elementary is to use the facility for
adult or alternative programming. We will retain the Adams Building for the Sandusky Digital
Academy and partner with community groups for effective use of the Osborne Elementary Site.
We will retain the Jackson Building for logistical and transition space.
Question 6: Why aren’t we making more significant changes to Sandusky High School in this plan?
We would love to make changes to the high school. The reality is we simply cannot afford to do
so at this time. The High School is in critical need of some significant infrastructure upgrades, but
our cost analysis suggests it would be over $73.5 million dollars to do all of the upgrades we
would need to do. We will need to come back and address the High School at some point in
time.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question 7: The Sandusky Middle School was originally planned to be built on the Memorial
Hospital site. What happened to that plan and what are the plans for the vacant property
next to Sandusky High School?
While the enrollment has increased for two consecutive years in the Sandusky City Schools, we
have lost enrollment for the previous ten years. As a result, the enrollment in the middle and high
school grades (7th – 12th) had declined to the point where it was economically prudent to house
the middle school population at the high school, where there is sufficient room. Our current
plans are to maintain the middle school students at the high school.
Question 8: What are the academic advantages of the building plan?
There are several academic advantages of the building plan. They are:
A. Consolidating our elementary staff to focus on core foundational academic practices in
one unit that will strengthen our elementary academic programs.
B. Utilizing Project-Based Learning in an environment with strong professional development
which will benefit the academic program by grades being configured together.
C. Build on our current exemplary ratings for high performing pre-school education.
D. Science and Technology labs to support the instructional emphasis on STEAM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).
E. The building configuration will assist in our efforts to ensure that our students can compete
in a 21st Century global learning environment.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Question 9: Did the findings of the Transformation Plan recommend new facilities?
Yes, it was very clear that our current buildings do not meet 21st Century learning criteria,
especially as it relates to global competitiveness. Dozens of community meetings and
Transformation Plan Committee meetings focused on the need to ensure that our students are
able to compete and new school facilities will greatly assist in that effort.
Question 10: How long will it take to build these new structures?
If the bond issue passes on November 4, 2014, we will immediately begin a community
engagement design process, which will include parents and citizens who will meet with
architects to craft the design of our new buildings. This process will take between nine – twelve
months to complete. We will be able to break ground by Fall 2015. It will likely take about two
years to build the two schools. We could potentially open our new facilities in the fall of 2017.
Question 11: Our school buildings look good and have been very well taken care of over the
years. Why do we need new facilities?
Our custodial and maintenance staff have done a very good job over the years of taking care
of our school buildings. However, the internal infrastructure is in need of repair. The assessment
completed by the Ohio School Facilities Commission has indicated it will cost us more to try to
remodel and repair than to build new facilities. If we are fortunate enough to build new
facilities, we will make sure that the new buildings are well taken care of and will serve us for
many decades to come.
KEY POINTS FOR THE “BUILDING BETTER DREAMS” CAMPAIGN
1.
The Bond Issue fulfills the commitment we made with the Transformation Plan and allows us
the unprecedented opportunity to build better dreams for our students both now and for
decades to come.
2.
Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) is covering 54% of the cost of the project and
provides a historic opportunity to share cost. The State of Ohio will contribute over $27 million
dollars to our “Building Better Dreams” Plan.
3.
The cost to the average homeowner for this building plan is approximately 38 cents a day.
4.
Aligning our grade configuration into two buildings district wide will allow teachers to build
on each others strengths and increase academic and instructional accountability.
5.
The new facilities plan will connect our instructional framework of
Project Based Learning and 21st Century Skills:
• Critical Thinking
• Creativity
• Collaboration
• Communication
KEY POINTS FOR THE “BUILDING BETTER DREAMS” CAMPAIGN
6.
Schools embedded within neighborhoods will strengthen the core of our home values and
the city for decades to come. We will have schools in our neighborhood and not necessarily
neighborhood schools.
7.
Sandusky City Schools has the only 5-star (highest state rating) of any pre-school program in
Erie County. The Bond Issue will invest $2.1 million dollars in Early Childhood academic
development.
8.
The Bond Issue will invest $4.4 million dollars in Science and Technology labs at SHS and this
investment will make us a leader in the region and the state for both students and adult
educational opportunity.
•
Science Labs for Biology, Chemistry and Physics
•
Technology Labs for Video Distance Learning for Global Experience
•
College and Career Readiness for Every Student
•
Creation of a Fine Arts Academy
•
Mathematics Collaboration Space
9.
A maintenance component is tied to the Bond Issue so our buildings will be maintained for
decades.
KEY POINTS FOR THE “BUILDING BETTER DREAMS” CAMPAIGN
10. The Board of Education have been strong fiscal leaders over the last decade and has
made responsible and visionary decisions about the financial well being of the schools.
11. Bond Issue will allow us to continue our recent positive trend of increased enrollment.
12. Will continue the pride, tradition, and excellence of the Sandusky City Schools
13. New buildings will reflect 21st Century learning opportunities for our students.
14. Provides hope, vision, and belief in our kids and community; says we care about the future.
15. Provide state of the art safety features for students, faculty, and staff.
Questions and
Open Discussion
Contact the
Superintendent:
[email protected]