Our Need
In January 2018, the Shell Lake School Board passed resolutions seeking a bond referendum.The district has been busy preparing materials to provide additional information to the community on the scope of the projects. Most recently, the district contracted with LHB, an architectural firm out of Superior. HB will be working with the district to provide renderings of the proposed projects.
The referendum will ask voters two questions. The first question seeks 12.2 million dollars to add a wing for Early Childhood though Grade 2 on the existing Grades 3-12 facility. Once built, the existing primary building will be closed and sold for potential redevelopment.
The process getting to this point began with a site evaluation from Unesco, an energy efficiency company. Based on their initial report, we found there were several areas at the primary facility which would require attention at a significant price tag. It was at that point that the district began working with Kraus Anderson, a construction management firm. Kraus Anderson also conducted an evaluation of our sites. Their study found that significant mechanical and electrical improvements were needed to update the primary building, which included adding art and music rooms, a library media center and school office. The cost for these renovations would be approximately 8 million dollars. Alternatively, the cost to build additional space on the existing 3-12 building would include these improvements, and provide more learning areas at an approximate cost of 10 to 12 million dollars.
With this data in hand, the school board established a Facility Advisory Committee, charged with evaluating the reports, touring new and existing facilities and seeking community input and reviewing options. This committee reported back to the Board in December, 2017, with a recommendation on how to proceed. An important aspect of this process was to conduct a community-wide survey. It’s very important that community support is behind a project of this magnitude. It was also important that the district hear from the community on their desire to renovate the current primary building, or build an addition and relocate it to the 3-12 site. The response to the survey leaned heavily to construct a new wing on the 3-12 building, rather than renovate the existing site.
In December, 2017, the facilities committee recommended to the school board that they go to an April referendum with two questions. The first question seeks 12.2 million dollars to add a PK-2 wing on to the existing 3-12 building. Along with grade level classrooms and a more secure and separate primary entrance, this wing would include art and music rooms, library space, lunch and gym areas and a 21st century learning space where students can work or collaborate on projects and introduce a more technical approach to learning. Included in this cost would be renovations to improve the existing 3-12 building for special education, art, and science areas. The second question seeks 3.5 million dollars to add an additional gym/performance area to the existing 3-12 building. This additional space would provide greater flexibility in scheduling athletic events, music performances, guest speakers, and community events, such as the recent barn quilting class. The space would be air conditioned, providing greater security in Spring, Summer and Fall as the outside doors would be able to remain closed. The tax impact on these projects would be $138.00 per year ($11.50 per month) for question #1 and $39.00 ($3.25per month) per year for question #2, based on a home value of $75,000.00.
Our school board is sensitive to the financial impact to tax payers yet understands the need to meet the educational needs of the community. The last major school construction project was in 1993 when the 3-12 building was built. Since that time, a lot has changed in education. Our buildings are seldom quiet. Throughout most of the year, you will find activities that include summer school, open gym, adult education, music concerts, partnerships with the Arts Center in their summer music camps, and athletic practices and tournaments. Our schools are an important part of our community.
Please Vote April 3, 2018
|