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Swimming Pool Advisory CommitteeReport to the Shelton School District Board of Directors

May 29, 2014

Effective Education = Successful LivesShared commitment to providing the most effective education to all students so they can succeed.The pool is one avenue to provide an effective education to students.To be successful in life, students must gain more than book knowledge to rise above challenges and positively overcome obstacles.

Supporting An Effective Education: G.R.E.A.T!!!

Graduation At-risk kids make connections with our elementary students during the 3rd grade swim lesson program, keeping them in school. For other at-risk students the 3rd grade swim program was more suitable than traditional PE classes (team sports, weight training, racquet sports and aerobics)Our Mission: A shared commitment to provide the most effective education to all students so they live successful lives.

3Supporting An Effective Education: G.R.E.A.T!!!Relationships pools bring people together, in turn fostering connections between students in classrooms, participants in competitive events, and attendees of community events (pool parties or open swims).

Supporting An Effective Education: G.R.E.A.T!!!Employment once trained through the American Red Cross Certification programs, students can seek employment as a swim instructor or life guard. This helps them learn job skills, build resumes, gain an income and help with life skills.

Supporting An Effective Education: G.R.E.A.T!!!Accessibility We better serve students when we provide readily available services. Students are more inclined to participate in swim programs as learners or instructors if there are no other programs that are a fit for their individual needs or learning style.

In other words, if a student cannot find something that fits for them, they often come to the swim program. Students rely very much on feedback from peers when selecting elective programs to participate in.6Supporting An Effective Education: G.R.E.A.T!!!Time Having a pool on campus affords students and staff the opportunity to utilize their time more efficiently than by travelling to another location for the same services that would require. Our students must learn to balance studies, extra-curricular activities, family, and work interests to help them prepare to lead a successful life.

Supporting An Effective Education: G.R.E.A.T!!!G.R.E.A.T

Graduation Relationships Employment Accessibility Time

What other options are available if the pool facility were to close?Exploring the Options

Option #1-Squaxin Island Pool

The pool floors 3.5 foot depth covers less than half of the area of the equal depth in our pool. The result is that there is about 55% less area in the pool to provide safe, proper swim instruction.Water temperature is maintained at 86 degrees. This is acceptable for swimming instruction, but for swim team use it is 4-5 degrees warmer than our pool. This presents increased danger of health hazards (heat exhaustion and dehydration) and exceeds USA Swimming recommended water temperatures of 78-82 degrees.There is no diving tank. SHS divers would have to hold their events at another pool.Home swim meets would have to be held elsewhere as they have only 4 lanes.

Option #1-Squaxin Island Pool, cont.

The current 50 minute class period wouldnt work for the high school students who teach lessons. Travel times would exceed 30 minutes, round trip. That leaves insufficient time for actual instruction.To be effective, this would likely require a 2 hour block. Many high school students would be using up two electives for this, which reduces participation.Without the high school student teachers, outside instructors would need to be hired.Life guards would need to be supplied by the District. Pool availability would be further limited by the Tribes own scheduled activities.

Option #2- Evergreen State College Pool

Only three lanes would be available during practices. The remaining facility must remain open for school and community use. Pool availability is limited to early mornings (5:00am-6:30am) or late evenings (7:30pm-9:00pm). There are already other users, including three competitive swim programs (Capital High School, Olympia High School and Evergreen Swim Club) that use the facility. Availability is likely to be limited. Schools that contract with Evergreen are limited to 3 home meets per year in the facility. Travel time is about 70 minutes round-trip. This means students could be arriving and departing Shelton High School as early as 4:00 am or as late as 10:00 pm. Additional negotiations with the College would be required to contract for use of the diving well.

Option #3- Washington State Patrol Academy Pool

Inquiries were made to the Washington State Patrol and they are unable to accommodate the District.

Concerns and Issues

With the use of any pool other than the existing facility:Bus transportation would have to be provided for all grade levels. Having the high school students drive on their own presents a liability concern to the District.It is likely that there would be a reduction in turnout for each activity, including the 3rd grade programs and boys and girls swim teams. Students will be spending increasing, and prohibitive, amounts of time away from home and school. With increasing graduation requirements mandated by OSPI, student-led swim instruction will likely decrease to a point where it is not sustainable.

Costs at a glancePool Rentals/ContractsEvergreen State College: $4,000 per season (additional negotiated rate for dive tank)Squaxin Island swim lessons use(maximum 150 days): $27,000Squaxin Island swim team use: $10,800 per season

TransportationEvergreen State College: $6,375 per seasonSquaxin Island: $15,000 per school year

These are just estimated costs for the coming 2014-15 season, rate and fuel cost will vary with time.

15What other community-based options are potentially available?Exploring the Options

Option #1-City ParksAnticipated 2014 Shelton Metropolitan Park District tax revenue is $286,000. That is significantly less than the 2013 revenue of $415,000. Incorporating the pool into SMPD is not likely under current revenue schedules. As well, the existing taxing authority is limited to Shelton city limits.Expansion of the SMPD into a Urban Growth Area, existing School District boundaries, Mason County as a whole, or formation of a new district would require a vote of residents. The increased tax rate would likely pay for maintenance and operations. A separate bond issue might be necessary for renovation needs. Management, operation, maintenance and other responsibilities associated with the pool would require agreements between multiple entities.

Option #2-County ParksThe County Parks system was heavily impacted during the recent recession. Currently, with the resources allocated, the County struggles to adequately maintain the parks and trails that exist.If the pool were to be incorporated into the County system, the proposal would first need to be reviewed by the Mason County Parks Advisory Board . Detailed revenues, expenditures, capital costs, and an assessment of the added risk management would likely be needed. The Parks Advisory Board would ultimately make the recommendation to the County Commissioners, who could adopt, modify or disregard the Advisory Boards recommendation. Option #2-County Parks cont.The decision on whether to add a pool to the County Parks system would be by Initiative of the people or recommendation of the Board of County Commissioners.Although not opposed to including the pool in a County Parks system, the County Commissioners are reluctant to do so without voter-driven input. Currently, the Board of County Commissioners is divided on the feasibility of including the pool into the County Parks system without a clear directive from the community.Option #3-YMCAIs It Possible To Get a YMCA In Shelton?Few new YMCA charters are currently granted. Grays Harbor YMCA has been approached to open a satellite branch in Mason County, but it appears to be unrealistic. YMCA does not have taxing authority. A new facility would need to be 100% locally funded.Revenue relies solely on membership fees, participation fees, and fundraising. Existing facilities, with retrofit needs such as the pool currently has, are not considered a good investment by the YMCA organization.

Option #4-New FacilityCosts to build a comparable poolSt. Helena, MT $4.6 million, opened in 2014San Jose, CA $6.7 million, opened in 2013 Prince William, VA - $10 million, opened in 2013Lake Park, IL $9.1 million, opened in 2014

ORB estimated $4.75 million to build a new facility to the same basic configuration, constructed to codes and standards. That cost does not include soft costs of site development, furnishings and equipment.

Summary of Community OptionsFormation of a Metropolitan Park District requires approval from County and/or City Commissions or by citizen petition. Formation of a new District would require a vote of residents within established boundaries. Agreements would need to be reached between the new district Commissioners and the School Board.An increased tax rate would likely pay for maintenance and operations. A separate bond issue might be necessary for renovation needs. The process to create a Parks District that included the pool could take 3 years or longer.YMCA is not an option at this time due to existing maintenance needs and lack of charters being granted.Replacement cost is prohibitive to the District.

Operating Cost

Stable expenditures over the most recent 4 year period. Revenue has increased over the last three years even with no increase in fees.23Maintenance NeedsPool Maintenance-ImmediatePool Pit LidResurfacing of pool

Pool Maintenance-FutureUpdating interior and exterior lightingBoilersADA updates

How to keep the pool operating?Exploring the OptionsFundraisingThe Pool Advisory Committee will oversee fundraising for the repair costs of the SHS pool. The areas of fundraising will include, but are not limited to:

Corporate: Naming rights, banners Citizen: Online crowd funding, donation account, Buy a Tile programEvents: Various fundraising events to be plannedProducts: Wristbands, T-shirt/sweatshirt salesGrants: Pursue a wide variety of health and community grants.Other: Reach out to other organizations in the community, e.g. Elks, Kiwanis

Pool Fundraising Kickoff & Open House on May 16, 2014, attracted approximately 60 attendees of all ages and raised over $900.00!

Publicity & AwarenessThe PAC has establish a Friends of the Shelton Pool website to direct the pool fundraising effort and give updated information.

www.friendsofthesheltonpool.org

PAC will also organize and oversee advertising, outside existing advertising, for the pool and specific events, utilizing signage, social media and various other avenues.

Who uses the pool?Exploring the OptionsPool ProgramsSchool Related ProgramsBeginning SwimmingIntermediate SwimmingTeaching Youth to Swim3rd grade Swim ProgramIntramural Water PoloGirls Swimming and Diving Team Boys Swimming and Diving Team

Average use of the pool is 130 high school students daily, except during swim season when it exceeds 160 participants.

Average number of 3rd graders during the 3rd grade program is 40 per day.Intermediate swimming. Four sections a year. Training opens doors for life guarding, teaching lessons, scuba diving, and swim team. Intensive instruction and fitness is the emphasis. Beginning swimming: Fitness, and swimming instruction. Safety and confidence in and around water is taught. It is a gateway to the intermediate swimming class, and the upper level aquatic opportunities. There are five sections a year. Teaching kids to swim: Trains high school students to be effective teachers, and has the side effect of teaching our district 3rd graders how to swim. Results vary from class to class, but in general, only %20 of our 3rd graders know how to swim when they arrive. When they leave, %80-90 are deep water confident. All of them are much safer around the water, and know their limitations and the dangers of the water. All of the swim classes offer an alternative to traditional PE. Instruction is much more individualized, and allows students who have lower extremity and back injuries an opportunity for success. Many of our students who are slipping through the cracks of our system gravitate or are placed in swimming classes. The result is that they look forward to school, and attend more frequently. 29Pool ProgramsCommunity ProgramsLap SwimWater AerobicsSwim ClubFamily SwimsPrivate Parties/Pool RentalsOpen SwimClinicsEventsLifeguard/Swim Instructor Training

Morning Lap Swims: Average 12 patrons per sessionLap Swim & Aerobics: Average of 40 patrons per sessionLap Swim only: 6-10 patrons per sessionOpen Swims: Up to 40 patrons per sessionSwim Lessons: 45-50 children per session Club Swimmers, ages 6-18: Average 15-25 patrons per sessionIntermediate swimming. Four sections a year. Training opens doors for life guarding, teaching lessons, scuba diving, and swim team. Intensive instruction and fitness is the emphasis. Beginning swimming: Fitness, and swimming instruction. Safety and confidence in and around water is taught. It is a gateway to the intermediate swimming class, and the upper level aquatic opportunities. There are five sections a year. Teaching kids to swim: Trains high school students to be effective teachers, and has the side effect of teaching our district 3rd graders how to swim. Results vary from class to class, but in general, only %20 of our 3rd graders know how to swim when they arrive. When they leave, %80-90 are deep water confident. All of them are much safer around the water, and know their limitations and the dangers of the water. All of the swim classes offer an alternative to traditional PE. Instruction is much more individualized, and allows students who have lower extremity and back injuries an opportunity for success. Many of our students who are slipping through the cracks of our system gravitate or are placed in swimming classes. The result is that they look forward to school, and attend more frequently. 30Proposed Pool ScheduleFor the 2014-2015 School Year

Add 3 days of morning Lap Swim sessionsAdd a morning Water Aerobics classAdd Friday and Saturday afternoon Lap Swim timesAdd a Saturday afternoon Open Swim session

Increase budget by $560 monthly to pay for staffing these new openings

Anticipated revenue increase of 5%, based on 2014 attendance numbers

Pool Patron usage has increased in recent months.

31Where do we go from here?Exploring the OptionsShort Term RecommendationsKeep the pool open for district and community use.Budget and plan pit lid and resurfacing repairs in the summer of 2015.Increase pool budget $560 per month to accommodate increased use.Do NOT increase pool user fees at this time.

TimelineJune 2014Include Pit Lid and pool resurface work in the 2014-15 budget planningOctober 14, 2014Begin work on design and engineering for Pit Lid repairsDecember 10, 2014Direct Business Office to create bid specifications for Pit Lid replacement and pool resurfacingJanuary 13, 2015Send Pit Lid design out for bidsFebruary 24, 2015Commit to proceed with both projects during the June-August 2015 timeframeApril 14, 2015Schedule Pit Lid and pool resurface workJune 22, 2015Begin reconstruction of Pit Lid and resurface of pool

Long Term RecommendationsEstablish a maintenance schedule to be followed in subsequent years beyond 2015 to avoid deferred maintenance and the associated cost increases that brings. Be cognizant of, and commit to avoid, prior Board practices of delaying previously recommended projects. Establish a working relationship with the County Commissioners and begin discussion of including the pool into a County Parks District. Add sub-meters to the pool facility to more accurately predict, report and evaluate utility expenses for the pool.Begin ADA updates to the pool facility, including a lift, automatic door openers, ADA compliant bathroom stalls, showers, drinking fountain and lockers.Anticipate and budget for bringing the pool to current Code specifications. This will be required once renovations exceeds 50% of replacement value.Questions and Comments?"I wouldn't say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it".

Michael Phelps- Most Decorated Olympian of All Time (18 gold medals)