Chester Byrnes Elementary School: (1939, 1951, and 1987)
Current configuration: District Central Office - transitioned Early Childhood, Grades 4K-5K to Doubek prior to the 2010–2011 school year
- ADA issues – No elevator access to second floor, no ADA-accessible entryways, no ADA toilets or water fountains
- Electrical issues – Old wiring, panels by water sources, old PA system, insufficient electrical service to rooms and hallways, no surge protection at panels, no blueprints, etc.
- Plumbing – Sewer issues, venting for plumbing resulting in gurgling in sinks, limited hot water to administration area, rust-colored water coming from galvanized pipe area, leaks attributed to lack of dielectric fittings, old toilets (higher water consumption), unsuitable height of toilets, drinking fountains should be replaced, above-ground waste and vent piping in the 1938 and 1951 sections are problem leak areas and should be replaced, urinal sensors do not sense smaller students, etc.
- HVAC – Oversized boiler with no redundancy, 1939 additional steam coils and univents are originals, condensate tank leaks, only three offices throughout the entire building have air conditioning, use pneumatics for heating control systems (Prairie View, Middle School, and High School use digital control), June Air furnace is inefficient and parts are becoming harder to find, no blueprints, etc.
- Parquet flooring in gymnasium and classrooms is bulging and popping
- Fire alarm system is old
- Student drop-off and pick-up issues
- Asbestos
- Classrooms have no wireless Internet access, ceiling-mounted projectors, or smartboards
- Cabinetry needs to be replaced
- Furnishings need to be updated to ensure mobility and adaptability to 21st-Century learning spaces
- Attractiveness of building needs to be enhanced to retain students and attract families outside of East Troy
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Leona Doubek Elementary School: (1951, 1954, and 1969)
Current configuration: Early Childhood, Grades 4K-1 - transitioned 2nd grade to Prairie View prior to the 2010–2011 school year
- Plumbing – Sections of existing building fed by galvanized piping due to age of building (it can be assumed that there is corrosion), current water heaters do not have a water circulation system and pump, sump pump appears to be near the end of its life cycle, toilets and urinals are original from 1969 section and are not water-conserving, urinal sensors do not sense smaller students, galvanized steel water distribution piping should be replaced with new piping, kitchen water heater should be replaced and sized for the total kitchen load, etc.
- HVAC – Existing boiler plant has no reserve or backup capability and is in fair condition, boiler pilot system no longer to code, single-circulation pump (no redundancy), multi-zone unit currently providing heat and ventilation to the 1951 and 1955 sections of the building is original and in poor condition, supply ductwork contains asbestos insulation, no air conditioning in building, lavatories in 1951 section do not have forced air exchange, air-handling equipment serving 1969 addition is original and both systems are nearing life expectancy, existing building control system is pneumatic and in poor condition (Prairie View, Middle School, and High School use digital control), return air is currently handled through the corridor space (while code compliant at the time of construction, this is no longer allowed, and any renovation would need to revise the existing return air construction, replace the existing gas-fired furnace heating and ventilating system serving the 1951 and 1954 sections, etc.)
- Electrical – Distribution system is circa 1969 and in poor condition, approximately five panels have exceeded their useful lifespan and have limited space for expansion, limited power provided to classrooms, electrical panels need surge protection, some electrical conduit pipes have too many wires, etc.
- Gymnasium/Cafeteria is inadequately sized and lacks a proper kitchen, cafeteria storage, physical education storage, etc.
- Not all classrooms have sinks
- Nurse’s office lacks sinks/toilets
- Office size is inadequate
- Many classrooms are too small to support reasonable class sizes and, more importantly, to support personalized learning environments that promote quality educational practices—project-based learning, stations/centers, individual to small-group to large-group learning areas, technology, storage space, etc.
- Special education spaces have been improvised from space intended for other uses
- Drop-off and pick-up concerns
- In the library, shelving serves as half-walls outlining the space, making noise travel an issue and instruction in the library a challenge
- Furnishings need to be updated to ensure mobility and adaptability to 21st-Century learning spaces
- Attractiveness of building needs to be enhanced to retain students and attract families outside of East Troy
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Prairie View Elementary School: (1999)
Current configuration: Grades 2-5
- Electrical – Additional surge protection, generator for IT systems, LED classroom and hallway lighting, and LED lighting for parking lot need to be installed
- Storage – General lack of storage affects all disciplines/departments and needs to be addressed
- Drop-off and pick-up concerns need to be addressed
- Furnishings need to be updated to ensure mobility and adaptability to 21st-Century learning spaces
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East Troy Middle School: (1970 and 1993)
Current configuration: Grades 6-8
- Plumbing – Grease interceptor in kitchen needs to be installed per code requirement
- Electrical – Additional surge protection, lighting control points on EMS, LED classroom and hallway lighting, LED lighting in parking lot, additional circuits in classrooms and hallways, etc. need to be installed
- HVAC – Boiler needs to be replaced by two smaller units for redundancy, redundant boiler circulation pumps need to be added, and building air flow must be balanced
- Update instructional learning space for robotics, Family and Consumer Education, and Technical Education space (Tech. Ed.) to support evolving curriculum and student safety
- Furnishings need to be updated to ensure mobility and adaptability to 21st-Century. learning spaces
- Relocation of main office to have secured walk-in entrance
- Asbestos needs to be removed
- Lockers in hallways and locker rooms must be replaced
- Camera system needs to be installed
- Restrooms and locker rooms need to be remodeled/upgraded
- PA system needs to be upgraded
- Sound, lighting, lighting control, and projection system in large gathering area need to be upgraded
- Gymnasium bleachers need to be replaced
- Drop-off and pick-up concerns need to be addressed
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East Troy High School: (1958, 1964, 1970, 1985, and 1999)
Current configurations: Grades 9-12
- Plumbing – Grease interceptor in kitchen needs to be installed per code requirements, lavatory plumbing fixtures need to be replaced/retrofitted
- Electrical – Additional surge protection, lighting control points on EMS, LED lighting for classrooms and hallways, and LED lighting for parking lot need to be installed
- HVAC – Older AHUs and EMS system need to be replaced
- Drop-off and pick-up concerns need to be addressed
- General lack of storage affects all disciplines/departments and needs to be addressed
- Gymnasium bleachers in Gym #1 need to be replaced
- One secure entrance/exit needs to be established during the school day, with high school administrative offices being centralized
- Health room needs to be renovated to ensure privacy
- Appropriate/adequate space for band and choir rehearsals and instrument storage should be provided
- Acoustics within band and choir rooms needs to be improved
- An appropriate space for performances and presentations that has proper lighting and sound, seating, digital media, storage, etc. needs to be provided
- Weight room requires renovations
- Entire tech. ed. space needs to be renovated to support evolving curriculum and student safety. Updates needed to support clean and dirty learning spaces. In addition, appropriate equipment to support programming and coursework should be provided
- Many classrooms are too small to support reasonable class sizes and, more importantly, personalized learning environments that promote quality educational practices—project-based learning, stations/centers, individual to small-group to large-group learning areas, technology, storage space, etc.
- Furnishings should be updated to ensure mobility and adaptability for 21st Century learning spaces
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The District has many urgent facility needs, including some that must be addressed immediately. These include basic needs in areas such as plumbing, heating and ventilation, and electrical issues. In addition, it is essential that the District continues to upgrade safety and security, and the efficient operation of buildings. In order to continue to compete as the District of Choice, we need adequate high-quality learning spaces that support personalized learning, and proper programing that will continue to attract students.
The following items are included in the referendum solution:
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Building a new pre-kindergarten through second grade elementary school at the Prairie View site.
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At Prairie View, drop off/pick up improvements in order to improve traffic flow and student and parent safety, and to help alleviate congestion.
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At the Middle School, a new energy management system will be installed to improve operating efficiency. In addition, lighting efficiency improvements, bathroom remodeling, and new lockers.
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At the High School, improvements will include relocating the main office to enhance security; adding four new classrooms; establishing a robotics and technology education addition; creating a new band rehearsal room and new fitness room, enlarging some current classrooms; renovating the technology education area, choir room, lecture hall, locker rooms, and main bathrooms; and purchasing and installing a new energy management system.
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At Leona Doubek, minor renovations for district administration and alternative education. Potentially demolishing a portion of the building if no other viable uses are found for the space.
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At Chester Byrnes, potentially demolishing building if no other buyer or better use becomes available.
School |
Current Grade Configuration |
Future Grade Configuration |
Scope of Construction |
Chester Byrnes
Elementary |
District
Administration |
Not Applicable |
Demolition – only if no buyer/better use |
Leona Doubek
Elementary |
Early Childhood, PK-1 |
District Administration
and Alternative Education |
Minor renovation & possible partial demolition if no better use is found |
Prairie View
Elementary |
Grades 2-5 |
Grades 3-5
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Drop off/Pick up addressed with new elementary school |
Middle School |
Grades 6-8 |
Grades 6-8 |
Energy efficiency, bathroom remodeling and new lockers |
High School |
Grades 9-12 |
Grades 9-12 |
Additions and renovations |
New Elementary at Prairie View Site |
Not Applicable |
Grades PK-2
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New school
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The new pre-kindergarten through second grade building on the Prairie View site is proposed to be 79,554 square feet.
Second grade is most often defined as a primary grade. Currently, second graders are grouped with our intermediate students (third through fifth grade). By creating a primary school to serve pre-kindergarten through second grade, teachers are able to better address the developmental needs and implement creative ways to group students with similar needs.
In addition, second graders will have access to developmentally appropriate facilities including: bathrooms, sinks, computer lab, and playground equipment. The current facilities and equipment at Prairie View have been designed for students who are older.
Furthermore, Prairie View can return to its intended layout as an intermediate school serving third, fourth and fifth grades. This will allow space to further support personalized learning, exploratory projects, science labs, etc.
Finally, the current set up at Prairie View has resulted in second grade classrooms being split up throughout the building. By adding second grade to the new elementary school, second grade classrooms can be grouped together which fosters collaboration between teachers and students.
The budget for the buildings and grounds is not sufficient to deal with all of the issues that the District is currently facing. The District has reduced its utility use, and some of the resulting savings have been used to pay for additional projects that have further reduced energy use, prepared for cost-avoidance, or improved buildings. The bottom line is that the District’s building and grounds staff can do minor repairs, upgrades, or improvements, but multiple large scale renovations as planned in the proposed referendum can only be completed with a large bond issue amortized over 20 years through a referendum.
Since the referendum has passed, we can take advantage of new systems and further lower our utility use while improving the educational environment.
For example, if we retrofit to LED lighting in all buildings, we can improve the light output per fixture, reduce electricity used during peak loads (which WE Energies charges us for), and add in light harvesting capabilities, which automatically dim lights when the natural ambient lighting allows.
In addition, with additional control points to our Energy Management System (EMS), we can program the hallway lighting to reduce the number of fixtures lit during inactive times and ramp up the number as students change classes. In essence, the system would turn off two of every three hallway fixtures when the students are in class, and then, a few minutes before the end of each class, turn them on, backing off again when students are settled into the next class. It should be noted that emergency lighting would always stay on.
Our current EMS system dates back to roughly 1999, which for computer systems is old. While it has had some program updates, it lacks the control points necessary to make additional changes. Newer programs will also allow us to better monitor our electrical use, improve performance, and further reduce costs.
Where appropriate, we will add redundancy to our boiler plants. This will allow us to stage them and use only the necessary BTUs to provide heat to the occupied building spaces. A second benefit of having separate boilers is should one have a problem, the other can still heat the building while the affected unit is being fixed.
We will install cameras in facilities that currently lack them, improve the drop-off and pick-up process of students at each building, and relocate the main office of the high school.
- New pre-kindergarten through second grade building; and drop off/pick up improvements for Prairie View - $14,505,000
- Leona Doubek- minor renovations for district administration and alternative education; and possible partial demolition if no better use is found- $295,000
- Middle School- energy efficiency upgrades, locker replacements and bathroom remodeling- $1,125,000
- High School- additions and renovations- $7,550,000
- Chester Byrnes- possible demolition- $225,000
- District-wide furniture, fixtures and equipment- $1,000,000
Both options have been discussed with the Board, but no decision can be made until the project is underway. This is because every subcontract for work (plumbing, electrical, etc.) will be bid, every material item will be bid (steel, cabinets, etc.), and even final interest rate costs will depend on the bond’s bid. Because the current referendum amount proposed is a budget – or in other words an estimate - should any of the project costs run higher than estimated, it is possible that if the $225,000 is not used to tear down the building it could be utilized towards completion of the other projects. It is important to note however, that in no instance can the Board exceed the total referendum cost taken to the voters.
The Board would have the final decision on what happens to the money if a sale of the building occurs. The Board could return the money to the taxpayers, use the money to complete projects that were not chosen to be part of the referendum due to maximum thresholds of cost the Board desired ($0 tax impact for question #1), deposit and hold the money for a future need, or a variety of other options.
The one recommendation that would not be made to the Board would be to use the one-time monies from the sale of the building for on-going operating costs such as salaries, benefits, utilities, and other standard budgetary items. While each year, our operating expenses exceed our revenues and we are forced to make cuts to staff, programs, and salary/benefit structures, we cannot rely on one-time funds to balance the budget. If we did, the structural deficits would only compound in the next year.
In 2012, the school board assembled an Ad-Hoc Facilities Committee charged with assessing the District’s needs and creating a masters facilities plan. In total, the master facilities plan calls for approximately $41 million (dependent upon the substance of any line item). The following were categories of importance identified by the committee:
- Efficiency- consolidating facilities, maximizing classroom utilization, avoiding unnecessary duplication, maximizing staff, and updating facilities with new mechanics
- Community Relations- inviting and welcoming to current families as well as families outside of East Troy
- Safety and Security- ensuring that all buildings have a plan for making infrastructure safe and secure
- Long-Term Vision- ensuring that facility plans demonstrate the ability to be changed, expanded, or reconfigured to align with the school’s long-term vision while also allowing flexibility
- Fiscal Responsibility- meeting the most needs at the most reasonable price
- 21st Century Learning Spaces and Practices- incorporating larger classrooms and/or dedicated spaces to ensure personalized learning for each and every child that will support independent, small-group, and whole group work, as well as collaboration amongst students, project-based learning with dirty and clean areas, and the use of digital media, mobile furnishings, etc.
- Space For Art Programs- securing an auditorium for both school and community use
Between now and 2018, the East Troy Community School District is paying off a considerable amount of debt from the previous Prairie View School and HS improvements referendum of 1999. With $1.7 million of annual principal and interest payments expiring, a new debt can take the place with no additional tax impact.
The chart below shows current debt payments in red. The blue lines show payments on a $22.5 million borrowing to address needs. The green lines show additional borrowing impact of another $2.2 million to fund the construction of second grade classrooms at the new PK-2 building.
This suggests that since the referendum passed would result in a tax impact of $16 annually per $100,000 of property value.
Assumptions:
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20-year borrowing at estimated interest rates of 2.50%, 4.00% and 4.50%
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Mill Rate based on 2014 Equalized Valuation (TID-OUT) of $1,429,830,001 with annual growth of 0.00%
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