RaymorePeculiar School District Long Range Facility Plan 20152020
Preparing EACH Student for a Successful and Meaningful Life Adopted by the RaymorePeculiar Board of Education September 24, 2015
Table of Contents Introduction
2
Planning Process
4
Data Review
6
Population Growth Trends
6
Residential Growth Data
7
Enrollment Projections
8
Building Capacities
9
211th Street Interchange
11
Recommendations
12
Strategic Plan Connections
14
Instructional Program Considerations
15
High School Design Elements
15
Alternative Education
16
Specialized Programs
16
Early Childhood Program
16
Grade Configurations
17
Financial Considerations
17
Attendance Boundary Revisions
20
Land for Future Schools or Facilities
22
Significant Maintenance Needs
24
Key Events Timeline
24
Appendix
27
1
Introduction The RaymorePeculiar School District has experienced tremendous growth over the past 20 years. District enrollment in 1995 was 3,501 students. By the fall of 2014 it had grown to 5,999 students (see Figure 1). Changes in enrollment and educational programming over time require the District to evaluate existing facilities and plan for current and future needs. Under this context, the RaymorePeculiar Board of Education initiated a Long Range Facility Plan process to ascertain needs and establish future plans for facility development. This plan document is the culmination of that process. Figure 1.
Within this plan document, background information is provided to outline the 2015 state of facility utilization in the RaymorePeculiar School District along with projected future needs. After a review of the planning process and key data points driving the decision making process, a comprehensive plan is presented that impacts the entire organization from a space use perspective. The financial implications and potential timeline for implementation are also included. With a reasonable enrollment growth estimate of one 2
to two percent per year, this plan will provide the majority of the space needs anticipated by the District over the next eight to ten years. However, the plan will need to be revisited within five years to ensure current needs are being met in context with the best available data at that point in time. During the initial phase of the Long Range Facility Plan process, a few key facilityrelated opportunities for improvement came to the forefront immediately: ❖ The need to find a solution to the two building high school configuration ❖ The need to address space needs at the middle school level ❖ The need to find a more permanent home for the early childhood education program that also allows for program growth over time ❖ The need to balance elementary enrollments ❖ The need to identify the longterm appropriate space for alternative education and other specialized programming at the secondary level The following photos represent two of the existing facility challenges in the District. The first is an aerial photo of a class period transition at the high school campus. Hundreds of students travel between the buildings during each class change, requiring longer passing periods at the expense of instructional time. The second photo depicts the primary home of the early childhood program a temporary facility that is very limited in space. This plan addresses each of the areas mentioned above with a combination of solutions to maximize the use of space and support necessary educational programming into the future.
3
Planning Process The RaymorePeculiar School District assembled a Long Range Facility Planning Team made up of board of education members, administrators, and other staff for the purpose of organizing the process for engaging community stakeholders in the creation of an updated plan. The Planning Team was an ad hoc committee that met from September of 2014 through June of 2015. The Planning Team spent several meetings reviewing relevant data regarding facility planning. The review of data included: ❖ Current enrollment and building capacities ❖ Enrollment projections ❖ Community growth data and economic growth considerations ❖ Research related to High School size and Early Childhood programs ❖ Financial data ❖ Facility planning priorities (A survey was sent to RayPec community members to identify facility planning priorities for the future of Early Childhood and High School needs. The survey received 484 responses) 4
The RaymorePeculiar Board of Education held a work session to discuss the facility plan efforts in January of 2015. This work session reviewed the work to date, shared the results of the community survey and provided an update of the plan to engage community stakeholders for the purpose of obtaining feedback regarding recommended long term facility solutions. From January through March of 2015, District staff presented to 24 different focus groups ranging from District employees, local civic and community organizations, local government groups, PTA Council and Booster Clubs, RayPec High School Student Council, and the RayPec Citizen Advisory committee. A culminating community engagement event occurred on March 31, 2015 where the District held a public forum for anyone in the community to attend to provide feedback on Long Range Facility solutions. The focus groups were asked to rank the following facility options to address our long term needs: ❖ High School/Middle School Solutions : ➢ Option A = Build a new high school so the District would have two comprehensive high schools for grades 912, and convert the North HS building into the second middle school. ($44 $45 million construction estimate with a projected levy increase of $0.25 to $0.26 in the debt service levy) ➢ Option B = Add a significant addition on the South HS building to accommodate up to 2,200 students in grades 912, and convert the North HS building into the second middle school. ($20 $21 million construction estimate with no projected increase to the current debt service levy) ➢ Option C = Add a smaller addition on the South HS building to accommodate 1,650 students in grades 1012. This option creates a Freshmen Center in the current North HS building. ($8 million construction estimate with no projected increase to the current debt service levy) ❖ Early Childhood solutions : ➢ Expand Early Childhood to multiple elementary sites around the district ➢ Build a new Early Childhood facility ➢ Renovate and relocate the Early Childhood program to a section of the RayPec Academy building ➢ Move the Early Childhood program to a repurposed elementary building 5
❖ Alternative Education solutions : ➢ Continue to house and expand the Alternative Education program in the RayPec Academy building ➢ Build an addition on South High School building to house the program ➢ Move the Alternative Education program to the North High School building ➢ Build a new Alternative Education facility on an existing property owned by the District ❖ Grade configuration options : ➢ Maintain our current grade configurations of K4, 56, 78, 912 ➢ Change our grade configurations to K5, 68, 912 ➢ Change our grade configurations to K4, 56, 78, 9, 1012 The pros and cons of each option, and the estimated length of time each solution is projected to accommodate enrollment, was discussed with each focus group. The grade configuration options were developed as possible considerations to utilize existing and future facilities. The combination of potential facility expansions and projected enrollments presented options to modify grade configurations as needed to efficiently utilize school buildings while maintaining high quality instructional programming. The community engagement efforts gathered feedback from over 470 school community stakeholders. The results of that feedback are provided as a link in the Appendix. Data Review A wide range of data were reviewed as part of the planning process. Current status as well as future projections were considered. The key data elements that influenced the options considered are summarized in the following sections. Population Growth Trends The communities of Raymore and Peculiar have grown dramatically in recent decades, which has led to a corresponding growth in student enrollment in the RaymorePeculiar School District. From 1990 to 2014, the population of Raymore has grown from 5,592 to 19,963. During the same time period, the population of Peculiar has grown from 1,777 to 4,795. The overall population in the District in 2013 was estimated at 32,936, up from 31,234 in 2010. The number of children under 5 years of age has declined slightly in recent years, most likely due to the uncertainty of the recent recession and 6
the related decline in new housing construction. This trend is likely to reverse again in the near future based on housing development trends. Residential Growth Data Population growth in the District has slowed over the past several years, mostly due to the housingdriven recession that began in 2008. However, recent construction activity has shown an increase in residential development that will ultimately result in more students. The immediate area experienced a housing boom prior to 2008. Within Cass County, the cities of Raymore and Peculiar typically include half of the new residential housing permits. The more recent uptick in housing permits from the low in 2009 would indicate a modest growth phase is underway once again. While residential development is not expected to return to the peak levels of 2005 and 2006, the current trend would indicate modest enrollment growth in the near term. Table 1: Cass County Residential Building Permits 10 Year History Year
Raymore
Peculiar
RP Total*
Cass County
RP Percent
2005
491
166
657
1194
55.0%
2006
341
108
449
1218
36.9%
2007
186
56
242
532
45.5%
2008
360
26
386
504
76.6%
2009
51
4
55
130
42.3%
2010
48
34
82
226
36.3%
2011
66
2
68
169
40.2%
2012
68
2
70
173
40.5%
2013
110
3
113
233
48.5%
2014
159
14
173
305
56.7%
Total
1880
415
2295
4684
49.0%
*RP Total does not include permits from rural Cass County areas or other municipalities partially located within the school district.
7
Enrollment Projections The RaymorePeculiar Board of Education enlisted the services of RSP and Associates to conduct a demographic study in early 2012. Their study projected the following midyear enrollment totals: Table 2: RSP Enrollment Projections 201213
5,894
201314
5,928
201415
6,027
201516
6,051
201617
6,127
During the first few years of the projections, actual enrollment exceeded expectations. However, fall enrollments in 2014 and 2015 started to fall below the projections. The following table outlines official September count enrollments through 2014, along with projections by staff from 2015 through 2020. Table 3: September Count History and Projections Grade
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
K
423
443
436
400
409
424
439
455
471
487
1
425
420
468
436
404
418
432
447
462
478
2
416
433
431
466
465
412
426
440
453
469
3
478
435
438
440
477
473
419
434
446
459
4
402
481
426
443
441
487
481
426
440
452
5
492
425
487
432
445
447
492
486
431
444
6
474
509
434
499
435
451
451
497
491
435
7
525
474
511
467
493
444
460
460
502
496
8
456
522
481
505
464
503
453
469
465
507
9
505
462
515
486
508
471
511
460
476
472
10
429
491
470
503
473
513
476
516
464
481
11
452
438
500
449
491
473
513
476
516
464
12
430
442
401
473
440
491
473
513
476
516
Total
5,907
5,975
5,998
5,999
5,945
6,007
6,026
6,079
6,093
6,160 8
Building Capacities The facility planning process involved establishing student capacities of current facilities based on their educational program. A combination of industry standards and current instructional program use were integrated to determine the effective capacity of each school building in the District. Table 4: Building Capacities (as utilized in 201516) Building
Size (Sq. Ft.)
Effective Capacity
Raymore
58,996
520
Peculiar
61,869
500
Timber Creek
58,869
480
Stonegate
59,924
480
Creekmoor
63,146
520
Shull
55,895
360
Eagle Glen
71,596
550
Bridle Ridge
70,180
550
East Middle School
121,068
1,000
North High School
122,964
800
South High School
165,040
1,300
RP Academy
81,164
450
School buildings can rarely be utilized at or near their effective capacity for extended periods of time. Fluctuations in enrollment between various attendance areas and at various grade levels can impact building utilization. Schools often operate at 80% to 95% of effective capacity, allowing time to respond as enrollment increases to near 100% of capacity. The following table outlines the total enrollment by grade span compared to capacity by grade span for the 201415 school year. 9
Figure 2.
Data from the 201415 school year indicates that middle school is the grade span nearest its effective enrollment capacity at 97%. While the elementary schools collectively have available capacity, some are at or near their capacity. Creekmoor Elementary and Raymore Elementary are closest to their effective capacity and will need relief in a relatively short period of time. Raymore Elementary is partially impacted by the use of some classrooms within the school for early childhood programming (in addition to the classrooms in the adjacent temporary facility). While relief for these two schools could be accomplished through adjustments to their attendance boundaries, the proposed process later in this document is recommended for implementation after other facility improvements have been determined in order to avoid multiple adjustments for families. The District has the fortunate advantage of moderating growth trends that could allow for only one attendance area modification for a period of several years. 10
211th Street Interchange In 2009 the citizens of Peculiar authorized the sale of bonds to finance a new interchange at 211th Street and I49. After several years of planning and preparation and the approval of significant supplemental funding sources, the project was put out to bid and construction began in August 2015. Completion is expected by the fall of 2016. This new interchange will dramatically change traffic flow in and around the south campus that includes the High School (North & South building), RayPec Academy, Shull and the Administrative Services Center. The interchange is expected to enhance access, improve overall safety, and serve as an economic development driver for the area. In addition, the final phase of the School Road reconstruction project is expected to be completed during the summer of 2017, completing a major overhaul in the road system surrounding the south campus. Combined, these projects will enhance the overall longterm functionality of the south campus schools. Figure 3: Aerial View of the 211th Street I49 Interchange Project
11
Recommendations The Long Range Facility Planning Team reviewed the focus group feedback and analyzed those results in context with relevant data and the RaymorePeculiar Strategic Plan to form the following recommendations: ❖ High School/Middle School Solution: ➢ Add a significant addition on the South HS building to increase total capacity up to 2,200 students in grades 912, and convert the North HS building into the second middle school. This solution requires approval of voters but is not projected to increase the current debt service tax levy. It is estimated to cost approximately $21 million for construction to include the addition to the South HS, as well as modest renovations to Eagle Glen and Bridle Ridge to better accommodate younger students (K5). ❖ Early Childhood Solution: ➢ Repurpose Shull Elementary to serve as the primary Early Childhood Center for the District. Also, assign Eagle Glen to serve as a potential satellite Early Childhood Center using 24 classrooms depending on space needs and availability. This would require all K5 students to be distributed to the remaining seven elementaries through a redistricting (attendance boundary) process. Repurposing Shull Elementary as an Early Childhood Center would require relatively minor renovations to support this solution. ❖ Alternative Education Solution: ➢ The alternative education program will remain in its current facility at the RayPec Academy building and expand in that location to support the needs of our students. The Academy building can also provide space and support for any unique secondary programs such as Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) and/or career related instructional programs. ❖ Grade Configuration Adjustment: ➢ Change from the current configuration to K5, 68, 912. This reduces one buildingtobuilding transition from the current structure and provides more efficient use of space. The grade configuration change is contingent upon the approval of funds to finance the high school addition. The impact to current buildings would be as follows: 12
■ Creekmoor, Peculiar, Raymore, Stonegate and Timber Creek elementary schools will change from grades K4 to grades K5 ■ Bridle Ridge and Eagle Glen will be converted from grades 56 to grades K5 (including age appropriate playgrounds) ■ East Middle School will change from grades 78 to grades 68 ■ The North High School building will change from one of our high school buildings to our second 68 middle school The recommendation to change grade configurations was driven by a variety of factors. First, the large high school addition allows for the North High School building to return to use as a middle school. In doing so, the two middle schools would be underutilized if they only served two grade levels. Secondly, reducing one transition appeared favorable based on feedback received. The following diagrams depict the structure in place in 2015 and the recommended future solution for visual reference. Figure 4.
13
Figure 5: Proposed Configuration
Strategic Plan Connections The RaymorePeculiar School District adopted the current Strategic Plan in February 2014. The Strategic Plan includes eight focus areas, many of which are directly supported by elements of the Long Range Facility Plan. Of course, a primary focus area for the District is Student Success. Support of this focus area in the Facility Plan begins with the opportunity to expand Early Childhood programming. School readiness is a key factor in overall academic achievement throughout the grade levels. This Facility Plan also reduces the number of building transitions for students by one, which helps support consistent progress through the grade levels. The large addition at the high school level will provide an opportunity to include flexible space that will support projectbased, careerfocused course additions in the future. A smaller learning environment within the school can also be developed for freshmen or 14
career academy programs. The existing Academy building can support future expansion of the alternative program and other specialized secondary programs for students. The Workforce Satisfaction and Engagement focus area is supported by providing high quality facilities throughout the District to support staff members in their efforts to educate students. The Facility Plan supports the Fiscal Responsibility focus area in that it outlines the most efficient manner to address the current needs of the District, in terms of both debt financing and annual operating costs. The focus area of Stakeholder Satisfaction and Engagement was crucial to the development of this Facility Plan. Feedback was gathered from hundreds of patrons as part of the development process. A similar engagement process is anticipated to further explain the need for the larger community to support the implementation of the plan. Instructional Program Considerations The planning team identified several instructional programming elements to consider as part of the overall facility plan. Some were generated through a review of data and best practices from other districts, while others were specific to the needs of the RaymorePeculiar School District. The following elements will be described in greater detail as they relate to the overall academic program offerings of the District. High School Design Elements The facility planning team reviewed research regarding high school size as part of the data collection process in the plan development. Large high schools tend to offer more academic programs, while smaller high schools tend to facilitate more personalized student environments. The research ultimately indicates that any configuration can be successful with good systems and program implementation. A variety of factors led to the recommendation of maintaining one large high school for the next several years. Doing so will allow the maximum level of program offerings due to efficiencies gained in staffing and resource allocations. The design of the building addition(s) should be flexible enough to support future programs while allowing for smaller learning environments within the school. A segment of the building can be dedicated to the core freshmen program to provide a smaller learning environment for students transitioning into the high school setting. Since this would be held within the high school building, access to the full curriculum is still possible. 15
Alternative Education The alternative education program provides a smaller learning environment for students who have not been as successful in the traditional high school environment. The RayPec Academy currently occupies a portion of the Academy Building and serves approximately three to four percent of the high school population. This program continues to be a valuable gateway to graduation for some students and will likely need to expand over time. Maintaining a separate location from the traditional high school is beneficial to the overall effectiveness of the program. Continued use of the Academy facility will allow opportunities for growth as needed over time, perhaps to include a middle school alternative education element in the future. Specialized Programs Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and other careerfocused programs are becoming more common at the secondary level in many school districts. This plan is intended to support such opportunities into the future. Facility additions should also allow for flexible use of space to accommodate more projectbased learning as programs are developed. The building addition anticipated at the South High School should include spaces that will support career programs that require additional laboratory space, such as biomedical and preengineering programs. The Academy may also be utilized for specialized programs that require extra space or extended learning time opportunities for high school students. Early Childhood Program Research supports early childhood education as a tremendous benefit for the school readiness of students. Students who have access to early education opportunities are better prepared to meet learning expectations throughout their developmental years. The current early childhood model includes two major elements. One is the program to provide early intervention and supports to students with special needs (Early Childhood Special Education ECSE). This program is funded through state and federal sources for students who qualify, with transportation provided. A second program is for the typically developing students who do not qualify for special services. This program is funded primarily at the local level. Both programs support significant educational growth for students who participate. 16
Expanding early childhood opportunities for more students is accounted for in this plan. The smallest elementary school (Shull) is repurposed to be the primary center for early childhood programming. The entire ECSE program would be housed at that location along with other elements of the preschool program. The southern location will be convenient to the new 211th street interchange for easy access. A satellite program in the northern portion of the district is anticipated at Eagle Glen for nonECSE students as a convenience for families in that portion of the district. A funding model will need to be developed to support the nonECSE program as it expands over time. A provision is included in the state funding formula to make some early childhood attendance reimbursable once the formula is fully funded. Grade Configurations The facility planning team considered grade configuration options as part of the planning process. Feedback from the community was collected on several options under consideration. The general belief is that fewer transitions for students between buildings is desirable. However, the planning team believes any grade configuration can work if the proper transition plans are established to support students as they move from building to building. Based on a variety of factors, the current recommendation is to move to a K5, 68, 912 grade configuration. This would reduce the number of transitions in the system by one by removing the intermediate school element. The intermediate approach has served RaymorePeculiar well over the past several years, so the transition elements that have made it successful will need to be incorporated into the new grade configuration. The administrative team is confident this can be accomplished, as this is one of the most common grade configurations found in districts of any significant size. Financial Considerations In Missouri, the most common approach to funding significant facility improvements is through the issuance of General Obligations (GO) Bonds. Such issuances require a vote of the registered residents of the school district. Voter approval requires a supermajority, with 4/7 majority in general elections (April of any year or August/November in even numbered years) and 2/3 majority at any other election date. April of 2016 is the first general election that would be available for voter consideration under this plan at the 4/7 majority. 17
The RaymorePeculiar School District has financed several facilities over the past 20 years due to the significant growth. GO Bonds can be financed for repayment over 20 years, but RaymorePeculiar has often structured payments over 15 years to minimize interest costs and create more bonding capacity for future projects. The District has a separate Debt Service Fund with a designated tax levy to fund these payments. The following table outlines the existing GO Bond debt of the District. The totals include the 2015 issue that refunded of a portion of the 2008 Bond Issue, which was initially issued to fund the majority of the construction of East Middle School. The 2015 refunding saved the District approximately $2.75 million dollars in future interest expenses. Due to bonding capacity limitations in 2008, the District also financed $5.19 million of the East Middle School project through a leasepurchase. The leasepurchase payments (approximately $400,00 annually) are scheduled to be paid with operating funds through fiscal year 2030, unless converted to the Debt Service Fund through a future GO Bond issuance. Table 5: Schedule of GO Debt (September 2015) Fiscal Year
Principal
Interest
Total Payments
2016
$4,900,000
$1,991,322
$6,891,322
2017
$3,850,000
$1,303,275
$5,153,275
2018
$4,125,000
$1,186,900
$5,311,900
2019
$4,610,000
$1,042,525
$5,652,525
2020
$4,725,000
$858,250
$5,583,250
2021
$5,450,000
$647,000
$6,097,000
2022
$5,725,000
$405,000
$6,130,000
2023
$4,550,000
$227,500
$4,777,500
Total
$37,935,000
$7,661,772
$45,596,772
School districts are limited in the amount of total GO Debt they can issue at any given point in time. By statute, districts can only issue debt up to 15% of the total assessed valuation in the District. The following table outlines the GO Debt capacity based on the existing debt in September 2015, with the assumption that total assessed values will grow by a conservative one percent per year. 18
Table 6: Bonding Capacity Projections Tax Year
Prior Year Bonding Assessed Value Capacity
Total GO Debt*
Available Capacity
Debt Ratio
2015
$471,458,620
$70,718,793
$39,710,000
$31,008,793
8.4%
2016
$483,146,939
$72,472,041
$33,035,000
$39,437,041
6.8%
2017
$487,978,408
$73,196,761
$56,185,000
$17,011,761
11.5%
2018
$492,858,192
$73,928,729
$52,060,000
$21,868,729
10.5%
2019
$497,786,774
$74,668,016
$47,450,000
$27,218,016
9.5%
2020
$502,764,642
$75,414,696
$42,725,000
$32,689,696
8.4%
*Includes anticipated $27 million GO Bonds to be issued in 2016 The recommended improvements under this plan will require the issuance and financing of $27 million in GO Bonds. This will fund a high school addition, modifications to Bridle Ridge and Eagle Glen, and other maintenance projects throughout the District to the extent remaining funds allow. The allocation of the $27 million in funding is projected in the following table. The amount for improvements to existing facilities can be adjusted once costs for other projects are known. Table 7: Project Estimates Project
Cost Estimate
South High School addition
$20 million construction estimate
Bridle Ridge & Eagle Glen renovations
$1 million construction estimate
Shull Early Childhood renovations
$200,000 estimate
Design costs & contingency
$2 million estimate
Capital improvements of existing facilities (TBD)
$3.8 million estimate
Total estimated costs
$27 million
Based on current assessed values and modest one percent growth assumptions, the recommended GO Bond issue would require no change in the current Debt Service Levy of $1.3457 per $100 of assessed value. The Debt Service Levy would
19
need to be extended for additional years, with the length of time to be determined by the structure of the debt amortization at the time the GO Bonds are sold. The following table outlines the RaymorePeculiar Operating and Debt Service levies over the past decade. The combined total of levy of $5.0397 per $100 of assessed valuation has remained unchanged since 2004. Table 8: RayPec Tax Levy History Tax Year
Operating Levy
Debt Service Levy
Total Levy
2006
$3.7127
$1.3270
$5.0397
2007
$3.7072
$1.3325
$5.0397
2008
$3.7005
$1.3392
$5.0397
2009
$3.7500
$1.2897
$5.0397
2010
$3.7500
$1.2897
$5.0397
2011
$3.7500
$1.2897
$5.0397
2012
$3.7500
$1.2897
$5.0397
2013
$3.7500
$1.2897
$5.0397
2014
$3.7500
$1.2897
$5.0397
2015
$3.6940
$1.3457
$5.0397
Attendance Boundary Revisions As demographics shift within the boundaries of the District, building enrollments can increase or decrease over time. Some areas of the District experience more housing development than others, resulting in an imbalance between schools at a given grade span. As a response to these imbalances, the District will need to consider revising attendance boundaries during the timeframe of this plan. As an example, Creekmoor and Raymore elementary schools are approaching their capacity limits, while several other elementary schools are well below capacity. Attendance boundary revisions can be an extensive undertaking. Balancing the student demographics between buildings to the extent possible while also considering current and expected growth patterns can be challenging. Minimizing disruption to families is 20
also a consideration. RaymorePeculiar has gone through this process multiple times over the past few decades as a result of rapid enrollment growth. The timing of the attendance boundary revision process will be contingent upon the implementation of other elements within this plan. Once voter approval is received to initiate the construction of additional space at the high school level, the District will have at least one full academic year prior to completion of the project to plan for attendance boundary and grade configuration changes. A following timeline assumes voter approval in April 2016 and a 15 month construction schedule. Table 9: Projected Attendance Boundary Revision Timeline Approximate Date
Action Step
April 2016
Voter approval of projects
August 2016
Initiate attendance boundary revision process
September to December 2016 Attendance boundary committee work January 2017
BOE approval of attendance boundaries for 201718
February 2017
Notify families of school assignments for 201718
March 2017
Complete staff reassignments as needed for 201718
August 2017
Start school under new boundary assignments
The plan presented in this document will result in both grade configuration changes and related attendance boundary changes. Bridle Ridge and Eagle Glen Intermediate schools will become K5 elementary schools, and Shull Elementary will be repurposed as the primary early childhood center for the District. As a result, all existing elementary boundaries will need to be revised to accommodate the new K5 structure with seven schools. Likewise, the plan will result in two middle schools in the District, requiring attendance boundaries to be established for the 68 grade span. The goal of this process would be to have a single attendance boundary revision process during the timeframe of this plan. However, if there is a significant delay in gaining approval for the projects outlined in this plan, the Board of Education will determine if an interim adjustment in elementary or intermediate attendance boundaries is warranted. If so, a similar process as described above will be followed. 21
Land for Future Schools or Facilities The RaymorePeculiar School District currently owns three distinct pieces of property that have been identified for future facility development. The three properties are: ❖ Fourteen (14) acres on Harper Road in Peculiar: This property sits on Harper Road just south of State Route YY. This property was purchased in 1998 for the purpose of building an elementary school when growth dictates elementary space needs in the southern portion of the District. Limited growth in that portion of the District since that time may ultimately result in the property being used for other purposes, such as future support facilities. Possibilities include warehouse space, a school bus terminal, a maintenance department facility, or a combination of such uses.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7205591,94.4775261,411m/data=!3m1!1e3 ❖ Thirteen and one half (13.5) acres on Prairie Lane in Lee’s Summit: This property sits on Prairie Lane just south of County Line Road in the Kensington Farms subdivision. This property was obtained in 2004 for the purpose of building a future elementary school when growth dictates more elementary space needs in the northeast portion of the District.
22
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8344678,94.4172851,409m/data=!3m1!1e3 ❖ One hundred twenty (120) acres located on 58 highway just west of 291 highway: This is the property where RaymorePeculiar East Middle School was constructed in 2010. East Middle School and the supporting facility amenities currently utilize approximately thirty five (35) acres of this site. The remaining acreage has been identified as the location of the second RaymorePeculiar High School and its essential support amenities when growth dictates the need for another high school facility.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7987688,94.3917485,2433a,20y,90h/data=!3m1!1e3 23
It is not anticipated that additional property is needed to implement this fiveyear Long Range Facility Plan. However, future property requirements will need to be evaluated using the most current data during the annual review of this plan. The specific use of each of these properties is contingent on Board of Education approval. Significant Maintenance Needs Capital improvement planning for maintenance related items is part of the annual budget development process. Revenue challenges during the most recent economic recession has limited the number of projects funded through the annual budget. The Long Range Facility Planning Team recommends the District consider including some of the more costly maintenance related items in the proposed bond issue, to the extent the projects can be funded without impacting the current debt service levy. The Planning Team recognizes the value in providing ongoing maintenance improvements to existing facilities as part of the overall Long Range Facility Plan. The following maintenance improvement categories represent options for consideration in a bond issue for projects that exceed $50,000: ❏ Asphalt/Concrete improvements (parking lots, sidewalks, walking paths) ❏ Building envelope improvements (masonry tuck pointing, window replacements, etc.) ❏ Electrical upgrades ❏ Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) improvements ❏ Roof repairs and improvements ❏ Safety & Security improvements Maintenance projects that cannot be included in a future bond issue will be prioritized and budgeted through the annual capital improvement budget process. These projects will be addressed over time as finances allow. Key Events Timeline The implementation of this Long Range Facility Plan requires a series of events to take place in order to implement the overall plan. Many of the activities are predicated on other events happening in a specific order. The timeline presented is intended to be a general guide to the events required to implement the plan described in this document. 24
Any or all of the plan elements will be implemented at the discretion of the Board of Education through concrete action steps as part of their normal leadership role. Conditions can change rapidly, causing plan elements to be adjusted to meet the current environment. The timeline provided below should be considered draft in nature based on the available information at the time of plan approval. Table 10: Projected Timeline of Key Events Approximate Date
Action Step
September 2015
Long Range Facility Plan adoption by BOE
November 2015
Architect selection
December 2015
Approval of April 2016 ballot language
January to March 2016
Preliminary design work for HS addition
April 2016
Voter approval of bond issue
May 2016
Award contract HS addition
June 2016 to August 2017
Construction of HS addition
August 2016
Initiate attendance boundary revision process
September to December 2016 Attendance boundary committee work January 2017
BOE approval of attendance boundaries for 201718
January to March 2017
Design work for BR, EG, and Shull renovations
February 2017
Notify families of school assignments for 201718
March 2017
Complete staff reassignments as needed for 201718
April 2017
Award bids for summer renovations BR, EG, Shull
August 2017
Start of school in new configuration
Fall 2018
Review plan to determine if modifications are needed
Spring 2020
Initiate process to revise plan
The dates above represent the earliest feasible date for such action. The implementation of these steps assumes the bond issue is approved by voters on the 25
April 2016 ballot. Another key assumption is the construction timeline of 15 months to complete the high school addition. If it becomes evident that such a timeline is not attainable (due to weather or other constructionrelated issues), the implementation dates for grades PreK8 will need to be delayed a full academic year. In such a case, a midyear (Dec.Jan.) high school transition might still be possible.
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Appendix Long Range Facility Plan Focus Group Presentation http://www.raypec.k12.mo.us/DocumentCenter/View/8368 Long Range Facility Plan FAQ Document http://www.raypec.k12.mo.us/DocumentCenter/View/8423 Long Range Facility Plan Focus Group Feedback Results http://www.raypec.k12.mo.us/DocumentCenter/View/8422 Board Work Session Update January 2015 http://www.raypec.k12.mo.us/DocumentCenter/View/8166
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