Princeton Public Schools Facilities Referendum A Critical

PrincetonPublicSchoolsFacilitiesReferendumACriticalNeed

ATransformativeOpportunityAResponsibleInvestment

ACriticalNeed

CriticalNeedCapacityChallenge:CurrentandFuture

2017:3,7692022:4,2982027:4,820

5yr.- 14%increase

10yr.- 28%increase

CapacityChallenge:CurrentandFutureGradesPreK-5

Currentlyatcapacity

200morestudentsinnext5years

15%increase

CommunityParkEnrollmentProjections

Currentlyatcapacity

96overcapacityby2021=4classroomsof24

500by2025

JohnsonParkEnrollmentProjections

Atcapacityfornext10years

Noimpactfromnewhousing

LittlebrookEnrollmentProjections

Currentlyovercapacityby18

45morestudentsby2020forenrollmentofover400.

Projectedtostayabovecapacity

RiversideEnrollmentProjections

Historicallyunder300;projectedtobelargerthanJP

426by2023120overcapacity=6classrms of20

CapacityChallenge:CurrentandFutureGrades6-8

Currently100overcapacity

853in2020

967in2022:33%increasein5years(240students)

1,138by2027

CapacityChallenge:CurrentandFutureGrades9-12

Almost200overcapacityof1423

Upanother100by2022

2000by2026

HowHastheDistrictAlreadyBeenManagingEnrollmentGrowth?• PHS

• Convertedrm.98.5(largerspace)tocreatetwohealthclassrooms

• Twolargeclassroomsin130hallwaydividedintofour

• Convertedtworegularclassroomsintosciencelabs

• Convertedsupervisor’sofficeintosmallgroupinstructionroom

• TeacherlunchroomconvertedtoLifeSkillsroom

• Trailersforteacheroffices– yieldingtwouseableclassrooms@$500,000

• InstructionalclassroomcreatedinLibrary• Increaseinsomeclasssizesto28-30

• JW• Useofallavailableclassrooms• Increasesinsomeclasssizesto28-30

• Elementary• Useofallavailableclassrooms• SpanishInstructiononacart• Increasesinclasssizesto20-25

WhatIsOurVisionfortheFuture?

PHSExpansion• Spacetoaccommodate300-400students• Multi-storyAddition

• Flexiblespaceforlearning• Cafeteriaextension

• InternalRenovations/Reconfigurations• Courtyards?• Classrooms?• Library?

• AdditionalParking

New5/6SchoolonVRSite• Extendsnurturanceofelementaryschoolwhileofferingmiddleschoolexploration

• 5th and6th gradersareinsync– sociallyemotionally,intellectually

• Thecurriculumandneededskillsareinsync–allowingforexcitingprojects,performances,andprofessionaldevelopment

• Promotesclearandcaringfocusontransitions

• AllowsallchildrentoexperiencenewschoolandconnectbeforeJW&PHS

• Cost-effectivelyfreesupspaceatJWandall4elementaryschools

• Maintainsneighborhoodelementaryschools

5/6School:SuccessStories

OtherDistricts• Montgomery• LowerMiddleSchool

• Hillsborough• Auten RoadIntermediate

• Bridgewater-Raritan• EisenhowerIntermediate• HillsideIntermediate

• SouthBrunswick• UpperElementarySchool

TheLowerMiddleSchoolsucceedsbecauseitcombinesthecontentspecializationsupportedbymostmiddleschoolacademicstructureswiththenurturingsensibilitiesoftheelementaryyears.Itistrulyjustthatsimple!

MikeRichards,Principal

5/6School:SuccessStories– SouthBrunswickJoanneKerekes,Asst.SuperintendentForthoseofusfortunateenoughtohavebeenapartoftheUESexperience,youwillhearinSBSDtothisdaythattherewerenobetteryearsthanthose.Ibelieve,hadtherenotbeenapriorcommitmenttothetwo-middleschoolmodel,thattheUESwouldhavecontinuedonandflourished.Whathappenedduringthosefiveyearswasnothingshortofmagical.

Wesawchildhoodextendedandgainedaglimpseintowhoourchildrenwouldbecomeasadults.

• Thecafeterias,hallways,andplaygroundswereunbelievablypeaceful.• Regroupingacrossgradelevelswasmanagedwithease.• Thearts,andperformanceandresearchtasksflourished.• ECA’sfocusedoncollaborativeclubs–OdysseyoftheMind,InventionConvention• AlignmentofcurriculummadePDwithstaffasrichasIhaveeverexperiencedit.Wewereaheadofthecurve.

WhatElseMighttheReferendumInclude?• SafetyandSecurity• Mainentrancesatallsixschoolsneedtobereconfiguredtobebothwelcomingandsecure

• HVACupgradesatallsixschools• HighefficiencyBoilersandHeatingPumps(currentones15– 20yearsold)• Newgeneratorsneededforelementaryschoolsincaseofpoweroutages• ACingyms,cafeterias

• Additionalathleticfieldsw/turf,plusflexibleindoorspace• AlternatespaceforadministrationandtransportationcurrentlyatVR• PossibleinclusionofPreschoolCentertofreeupmorespaceatRS,CP,JP

CriticalNeed:PossibleImplicationsofNotBuildingAdditionalSpace• Elementary

• Classsizesof25-30particularlyatCPandRS

• PossibleredistrictingofelementarystudentsfromCPandRStoJPandLB

• Middleschool• Classsizesof30-35• Cuttingofexploratoryprograms-coding,robotics,business,shoptorepurposespaceforrequiredclasses

• NeedtorenovateformerLibrarytofunctionasclassrooms

• Highschool• Classsizesof28-30• Limitingofelectiveofferingssoallstudentsreceiveonlyrequiredcourses

• Possibledifficultyofstudentsmeetinggraduationrequirementsinartsandpracticalarts

• Splitsessions?• Staggeredsessions?

ATransformativeOpportunity

Schoolsarenotbuildings;theyarethepeoplein

them.Howcanwecreatespaces

thatwillconnect,support,andinspirethosepeople?

InspirationThrough21st CenturyLearning

Schoolsshouldreflecttheworldforwhichwearepreparingourstudents.

InspirationThroughSustainability

Thebuildingitselfbecomesalaboratoryforlearning–andacost-effectiveone.

InspirationThroughCommunityEngagementAnopportunitytocreateatruecommunityschoolfocusedonhelpingchildrenandfamiliesthrive-intellectually,physically,emotionally.

AResponsibleInvestment

WhatAreWeInvestingIn?

• Ourchildrenandtheirsuccess• Ourschoolbuildings• Ourhomevalues• Ourcommunity

WhatIsTheFinancialImpact?

• ProjectedcostsdeterminedoncedesignsarefinalizedinMarchorApril• Commitmenttolimitedtaximpact• Increaseindebtservicefromanyproposedconstructioncoststobehundreds–notthousands- ofdollarsontheaverageassessedhome

• Taximpactexpectedtodeclineafter2022-23whensignificantdebtretires• Stateincentivesavailableforschoolconstruction• District’sAAAbondrating=excellentinterestrate• Independentfinancialadvisersworkingwithdistrictonlimitingthetaximpact- samegroupwhoassistourtown

OtherFinancialConsiderations

• Therewillbesomeincreasedoperatingcostsforopeninganewschool• TheDistrictisactivelyengagedinnegotiatingcontributionstoouroperatingfundfromournon-publicpartnerswhosechildrenattendourschools.• Maintainingourfacilitiesisprudentstewardship• Fiscallyresponsibleinvestment nowwillsavetaxdollarsinthelongertermasconstructionandfinancingcostsrise.

ReferendumTimeline• InitialStakeholderInput:January,2018• DesignssharedwithCommunity:February– March,2018

• InitialPlanstoDOE:April2018• Continueddesignrefinementwithongoingstakeholderinput:March–Sept.2018

• Informationsessionsre:design,cost,benefittostudentsandthecommunity:March– September,2018

• ReferendumVote:October2,2018• ConstructionBegins:Spring,2019

• ProjectedOpeningofNewSchoolandAddition:September,2020

Summary

• ACriticalNeed• ATransformativeOpportunity• AResponsibleInvestment

Aninvestmentineducationalwayspaysthehighestreturns.- BenjaminFranklin

IdeasorQuestions?referendum@princetonk12.org