By Nancy Truitt Pierce
Please join me in thanking the dedicated volunteers who spent the last year serving our schools and community.
In May of 2013 Monroe Public Schools appointed a Capital Facility Steering Committee to review current capital facility needs.-áThe members included:-áErin Angus-Snapka, Mark Carlson, Justin Craven, Nicole Erickson, Paul Faulds, Scott Furrer, Steve Jensen, Tom MacIntyre, Amber Mehta, Mars Miller, Krystal Noga-Styron, Robert Prosch, Danielle Sanders, Joel Selling, Mayor Geoffrey Thomas, and Sam Wirsching. We also had a few people who participated in a limited number of meetings-áas Advisory Members. They included Dee Brown, Jennifer Reiner, and Jeanine SanClemente.-áPlus three of our School Board members attended a few of the meetings including Darcy Cheesman, Jason Hutchinson, and Jim Scott.
The charge of the committee was to develop a new set of recommendations regarding school district facilities, and to submit its recommendation to the School Board in this final report in June of 2014. It has been more than a decade since resources were available from our community for substantial improvements to local schools and school support facilities.
The Committee held monthly meetings and visited all schools and district facilities over 13 months. This included a ton of hours and a lot of time away from family, work and other interests in service of our schools and community.
The work, notes and progress of the Committee are available for your review on the school district's web site at-áwww.monroe.wednet.edu under Facilities: www.monroe.wednet.edu/PAGES/superintendent.html#1_6.
You can also view the full report which was presented to the school board on-áJune 23, including the charge given to the planning committee, the principles they followed, the work of the committee, and the results of their discussions and deliberations at the-áCapital Facilities Recommendation Report: < www.monroe.wednet.edu/SUPERINTENDENT/FACILITIES/2013/2014CFSCFinalReport.pdf
The report they presented is exemplary and has set us up to make some very well informed decisions about the facilities in our school district. We can't thank them enough for the dedication and time they have donated to our schools. Here is the list they suggested in the order they recommend we prioritize them:
1.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áPark Place Middle School Modernization
2.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áFund Small Capital and Major Maintenance Needs
3.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áConsolidate and Expand Frank Wagner Elementary
4.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áExpand Hidden River Middle (Phase III)
5.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áReduce Use of Portable Classrooms District Wide
6.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áAll-Weather Ball Fields at Monroe High
7.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áModernize Salem Woods Elementary
8.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áRelocate Administration Building
9.-á-á-á-á-á-á-áPurchase Property for Current or Future Projects
The committee recommended that the School Board focus on the first six projects at this time, leaving the last three for consideration at a later date. Using some very early cost estimates the volunteers calculated these six projects could be accomplished with little or no bond tax rate increase. Since in 2016 our community will have paid off all existing bonds, the committee suggested that rate be proposed to continue to accomplish the much needed improvements our schools and students need. Further work refining those cost estimates show choices will need to be made even within those listed as highest priority projects to keep bond-átax rates close to 2015 levels. Of course, voter approval is required to continue any tax rate.
Now it's your turn to let us know what you think. The School Board is currently conducting a "Listening TourGÇ¥ with our community to review the list of prioritized projects this committee came up with and have you help us make the final decisions about the investments we need to make for our schools.
Join a listening tour and / or send us an email schoolboard@monroe.wednet.edu to let us know if we missed anything that should be on the list. Choices must be made; tell us what your priorities are to improve schools and support facilities.
To collect even more feedback, the School Board has taken their listing online using a process called Thoughtexchange. Watch the schools' website for that process to open later this month or ask to join the process by emailing your name and email address to schoolboard@monroe.wednet.edu. By letting us know you are interested, you can be sure to get the link as soon as it is launched.
We really appreciate the time this committee took to do this important work for all of us in the community. Your dedicated service helps us all. Thank you!
Nancy Truitt Pierce is member of the Monroe Public Schools Board of Directors.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment