Strategic Secondary Facility Project

Secondary Enrollment and Facilities Study Group

December 2013 – May 2014

December

• Organizational meeting open to the community

• Review of enrollment history and steps DPS has taken thus far

• Voting on committee membership and chairman

January - March

• Met 5 times

• Discussed enrollment history and projections and methodology for making projections

• Discussed facilities/capacities and methodology for how those numbers are reached

• Discussed school funding, streams of revenue, budget and projected budgets

January- March continued

• Discussed various options

• Researched grade configurations and achievement

• Created working list of 12 options

• Culled list down to 5

• Group divided into subcommittees around options and met as needed in subcommittee to flesh out their option

• Some members of the larger group traveled to Hall County to visit some of that district’s magnet programs (March 26)

April

• A “think tank” of teachers was created to brainstorm and design what programs/experiences a new 6-12 school or a 9-12 non-comprehensive high school might provide

• The teachers met 3 times as a large group and several times in smaller groups to work

May

• The Teacher Think Tank presented to the Secondary Enrollment and Facilities Group on May 6

• Committee has narrowed options down to a final two• 5-6 at Park Creek & 7-8 at DMS with a new

9-12• A new 6-12 school

• In discussion, the committee is still not at consensus about which of the options they would recommend. There are pros and cons to each.

• At this point, the group has fulfilled the original study directive.

Executive Summary

While both of the options have merit and would meet the parameters of the initial board directive, they also each have some negatives…The Study Group genuinely recognizes the challenges of increasing enrollment and the need to meet that challenge, but were unwilling to commit to either of these options as a final recommendation.

As chairman of this committee, I submit both of these options to you along with supporting documentation as the best thinking of the Secondary Enrollment and Facilities Study Group…Should the board change the directive or desire the Study Group to reconvene to pursue another avenue, we stand willing to do so.

Tommy Boggs, Committee Chairman

STAFF Information

Study Group Information

Refined Directives

Smaller Middle School

Appropriate Facility for Morris Innovative High

Smaller High School

Summer Work

• School board representatives and Study Group Chair met with superintendent to review and determine next steps

• Superintendent and administration worked with professional services (architect, realtor) to refine details (ex programming, potential sites, staffing, zoning, etc)

• Scheduled work session with full board to provide update

ComparisonCapacity vs Enrollment

School Capacity Jan. 2014 Enrollment*

Projected Enrollment 2017-18

Capacity/EnrollmentDifferenceJan. 2014

Capacity/EnrollmentDifference2017-18

Elementary

4014 4002*** 4143*** 12 -129

Middle 1750** 1715 1772 35 -22

High 2313 1991 2181 322 132

*Includes 47 ESS Special Services students**Includes new construction***PreK-5

School Capacity Jan. 2014Enrollment*

Projected Enrollment 2017-18

Capacity/EnrollmentDifferenceJan. 2014

Capacity/EnrollmentDifference2017-18

Blue Ridge

725 702 706 23 19

Brookwood

738 632 674 106 64

City Park 863 815 853 48 10

Park Creek

738 761** 778** -23 -40

Roan 475 528 586 -53 -111

Westwood 475 564 546 -89 -71

*Includes Pre-K student enrollment**Includes 47 ESS Special Services students

ComparisonCapacity vs Enrollment

School Capacity Jan. 2014 Enrollment

Projected Enrollment 2017-18

Capacity/EnrollmentDifferenceJan. 2014

Capacity/EnrollmentDifference2017-18

Dalton Middle

1750* 1715 1772 35 -22

Dalton High

1875 1647 1881 228 -6

Morris Innovative High

438 344 300 94 138*Includes new construction

ComparisonCapacity vs Enrollment

Facility Models and Costs

Models Grades Location Capacity Total Estimated Cost

Option 1

New 6-12 6-12 New 1400 $69,550,861*

Option 2

5-6; 7-8; 9-12

9-12 New 1200 $51,879,969*

5-6 Park Creek 1400 $14,128,932

PK-4 Roan 750 $ 9,483,322+

$75,492,223

* Does not include cost of competitive fields

Capital Funding

ESPLOST $27 million over 5 yearsApproximately $5.4 million

annually

Bond $60 millionPayback over 30 years at$3.2 million annually or 1 mill of property tax

Current and Recurring Capital Needs

Funding needed fromcurrent ESPLOST forexisting capital needs $12 million

Funding needed forrecurring capital needs $3 million annually $ 6 million

Funding needed fromremaining ESPLOST $18 million

Capital Financing

• City of Dalton Building Authority – requires City Council approval

• Chamber of Commerce Joint Development Authority

• General Obligation Bond – requires public vote

Site

Program ComparisonsDalton High or Dalton Middle Both existing and new

schoolsNew 6-12 school

IB Program

AP Classes

Middle School Criteria

Traditional Schedule Block Schedule

Later Start and End time (high school only)

Core Classes

Dual Enrollment Dual Enrollment on Campus

Foreign Languages

Move on When Ready

Early High School

Interscholastic Sports Extramural Sports

Middle School Sports

Band Orchestra

Music Production

Dance

Drama Acting for Film & TV

Chorus Vocal Performance

Driver’s Education

Dalton High or Dalton Middle Both existing and new schools

New 6-12 school

JROTC? JROTC

Small Business Development

Marketing Studio E

Product Focus Learning

Videography Digital Media

Graphic Design

Business Education Software Coding

Gaming Design

Public Safety

Forensic Science Healthcare Pathway

Language Academy

Translation Academy

Manufacturing

Early Childhood? Early Childhood

Energy Pathway (solar, etc)

Project Lead the Way Great Promise Partnership

Horticulture

Program Comparisons

Additional Annual Operating Costs

Personnel $705,750

(17 new positions [ certified & classified ] in addition to transfers)

Plant Operations $537,560

(utilities, custodial, maintenance, security, grounds)

TOTAL $1,243,310

Attendance Boundaries

Transition

Staffing for the new school will utilize a process that allows for as much choice as possible.

Staff (full representation) will be involved in a transparent process well in advance of the school opening that will review past staff transitions - what’s worked well and what was problematic.

• School Admin Selected First• Initial Staffing From Current Employees

• NO Reduction in Force Necessary• Volunteers• Recruitment• Reassignment

• Remaining Staffing From Outside District• Recruitment and selection

Staff

Transition

• Will there be a transition plan to move students to the new school over a period of time (Ex. - 6th grade start one year, seventh grade and sixth the next year, …) or will the move be done by all grades all in one year?

• Will there be "grandfathering" of students into DHS and/or DMS who have been attending these schools but become zoned for the new school? If so, will this be open to all or program availability based? Will capacity apply? Will a lottery be used or stand in line for prioritization?

Students

Transition

• Where, in the priority list, would high school/middle school OOZ/OOD students who are wanting to participate in programs/athletics not offered at the school where they are zoned be placed?

• Will there be any priority or "grandfathering" students presently attending DHS/DMS who are zoned to another school over new OOZ/OOD requests?

• Will the same process be used for applications for OOZ/OOD status for secondary schools as is used for Kindergarten (standing in line to get earliest time stamp) or will another method be used (Ex. - Lottery)?

Students

Sustain

Students• Where, in the priority list, would high

school/middle school OOZ/OOD students who are wanting to participate in programs/athletics not offered at the school where they are zoned be placed?

• Will there be any priority of "grandfathering" students presently attending DHS/DMS who are zoned to another school over new OOZ/OOD requests?

Sustain

Students• Will the same process be used for applications

for OOZ/OOD status for the new school as is used for Kindergarten (standing in line to get earliest time stamp) or will another method be used (Ex. - Lottery)?

• Will a criteria be used for determining what extramural sports and activities will be offered?

• Will school attendance zones be adjusted on a regular basis in order to maintain a smaller enrollment at any of the schools, if needed?

CONSTRUCTI0N CONCEPTUAL Time REQUIREMENTS

Time Requirements Event

Variable Property Acquisition

2-3 Months Exploratory WorkSite Approval, Surveys, Soil

Borings, ..

12-18 Months Design Phase

3 Months Permitting & Bidding

16-24 Months Construction

Timeline

August - September Discussions and input/ info gathering, reviewed as needed

October – BOE makes tentative vote on Implementation Plan

October – November Community Conversations

November – December BOE makes decision (grade configuration,

site location, if needed)

BOARD OF EDUCATION Information

BOARD OF EDUCATION

•Questions & Answers

•Reflections