obied Posted May 12, 2005 Report Share Posted May 12, 2005 Proceedings of the 20-Year Facilities Planning Committee District No. 2 Yellowstone County Billings, MT March 22, 2005 This meeting was called to order by Co-Chair, Barbara Bryan on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 213 at Lincoln Center. Members Present: Barbara Bryan, Tim Cranston, Ed Workman, Peggie Smith, Donnell Small Members Absent: John Eisen, Randy Hafer, Ludlow Howe, Larry Brewster, Matt Brosovich, Mike Marnin ( (Randy and Mike are absent as they are currently giving a presentation to a Heights community task force). Minutes Approval: None SCENARIO OPERATING COSTS Tim reported that he is still working on operating costs and Barb and Randy will continue their work on the capital costs. POSSIBLE VOTING DATES FOR SCENARIO CONSIDERATION Tim reported that he has met with Duane Winslow, Election Clerk, to discuss the election process and requirements for ballot listings. Duane indicated that SD2 cannot have an election in October, because his office is too busy getting ready for the November election. If we were to get approval from the board by June 5th for a school election, and could then get ballot language finalized within 30 days, we could potentially have a mail-in ballot by Sept. 15th. Tim also presented to the group showing the percent of voters who historically vote at different times of the year (data going back to 1962). In general, turnout at regular fall elections is very poor. To get high voter turnout, Tim noted, the mail-in ballot is most effective. He suggested that perhaps we can get local companies or organizations to foot the bill for a mail-in ballot this fall or early next year. REDISTRICTING Ed and Tim will continue to gather information on the possible redistricting of some Riverside students from West to Senior to provide additional room at West under the high school scenarios. They will report on their work at the next meeting. MARCH 21 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING Several committee members attended the school board meeting on March 21, 2005, and Barb made a presentation on behalf of the committee. Her presentation, attached in the form of a memo to the board, touched on: - Concerns about the possible sale of Crossroads - Our desire to send our scenarios handout and public comment form home with students before the end of the school year - The content of our scenarios handout and Public Comment Form (copies of these documents are also attached to these minutes) - Our desire to know real deadlines associated with our work - Our desire to get an extension to complete planning for the high school district - A request that the board refer media requests about the high school scenarios to our group The board did not respond to any of our requests for discussion or decision, and did not set any future time to address the issues raised. CLARIFICATION OF SCENARIO CAPITAL COSTS Barb pointed out that, according to comments Tim has reviewed on the Public Comment Forms, some people are assuming that scenario one is the most expensive and are naming it as their least favorite on this basis. Barb suggested that we point out in our public presentation that scenario one is not necessarily the most expensive. People should assume for now that all three scenarios will cost about the same. PRESENTATION CALENDAR Peggie reviewed the calendar for the March and April presentations and those present volunteered to present on the unfilled engagements. Peggie has requested that if anyone is unable to present on their scheduled date or time that they be responsible to find someone to fill in for them. All those present were in agreement. FINAL COMMITTEE REPORT Barb noted that we need to start wrapping up information for our final report to the board. She asked that everyone complete the report sections they have been asked to work on. OTHER Barb has submitted an article to the “Outpost” for publication in the next issue. She is also working on a guest editorial for the “Gazette” and “Outpost” on our public communication process. With no further business the meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. We will meet again on March 28, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. in room 213 at Lincoln Center. ________________________ Barbara Bryan, Co-Chair Donna Obie Recorder ATTACHMENTS: Memo to school board dated ______ Handout on the High School Scenarios for Public Comment Public Comment Form Twenty-Year School Facilities Planning Committee ________________________________________________________________ Billings School District 2 - Memo – (Page 1 of 2) DATE: February 21, 2005 TO: SD2 Board of Trustees FROM: SD2 Twenty-Year School Facilities Planning Committee RE: Communication on Issues of Mutual Interest The Twenty-Year School Facilities Planning Committee wishes to bring the following matters to the attention of the Board of Trustees. We are bringing these matters to light in this format (during public comment at a board meeting) due to their time-sensitive nature. Some, if not all of them, merit attention before the regular March meeting of the board. We are aware that these matters cannot be discussed tonight, as they are not on the agenda. Nonetheless, we feel it’s important to bring them to your attention, with the hope that the board will choose to address them shortly in a special board meeting. 1. Communications Assistance. As you know, our committee has developed a list of second-cut high school scenarios (you have this info in front of you), and we are implementing a communications process to get input on our ideas from other SD2 committees and the public. Our intent is to get this important input, revise/refine our ideas based on that input, and then make final recommendations to you, the board. Our group might request help from SD2 administration and staff (and possibly consultant Nancy Hines) in conducting the public information process. For example, we might ask for help with: - Scheduling speaking engagements - Creating PowerPoint presentations - Copying handouts - Setting up an email address for collecting public comment Tonight, we ask the board to help us in this process by instructing SD2 to cooperate with us in our efforts. As the Schools/Community Committee indicated to us in a joint committee meeting last week, our committee will carry out these communications via the process voted on at the joint meeting. Members of our committee will present our scenarios, answer questions posed to us by other SD2 committee and the public, and put together our final recommendations in time for the School-Community Committee meeting in May. With this aggressive schedule we would appreciate district support as requested above. 2. Career Center Land Swap. Discussions are underway between SD2 and the MSU-B College of Technology regarding a possible land swap at the Career Center. As we understand it, the proposal is to give the COT land for expansion in exchange for free tuition for SD2 students seeking dual college/HS credits. Regarding this matter, our committee asks that we be consulted before negotiations on the land swap proceed too far, and that no decisions be made about a swap until school district needs and plans for use of this land are formalized. We believe that SD2 land available at the Career Center is an important to the school district in terms of short-term and long-term planning. 3. Time Extension for Committee Work. We ask the board to formally approve our tenure as a committee through June 2005. Karen Moses indicated at the School/Community Committee meeting last week that she would bring this matter to the Board. The deadline for completion of our committee work is unclear in our initial letter from the SD2 board chair. The letter states that our report is due in April, but also states that we have up to one year to complete our work. The latter phrase would indicate that our report is due no later than June (our first committee meeting, scheduled by the district, was in June 2004). Based on our current plan to go to the public for comment, we will be unable to complete our work by April. We will be prepared to make a final report to the board by no later than the end of in June, however. 4. Senior High HVAC Work. The SD2 Facilities Department is in the process of accepting bids for HVAC work at Senior High School. The work is to be completed this summer. Our committee asks that this process be halted pending consultation with our group. We believe that the proposed work at Senior might be in conflict with our final recommendations for the building. As a result, in order to implement our eventual recommendations, much of the work being proposed might have to be removed. Again, we ask that the board address these issues at its earliest convenience. Our committee will be happy to provide additional information and participate in any board discussions. Public Comment Form Scenarios for Billings Public High Schools SD2 Twenty-Year School Facilities Planning Committee Use this form to submit your comments on the three high school scenarios developed by the Twenty-Year School Facilities Planning Committee for School District 2. If you have received this form at a presentation given by members of the Twenty-Year School Facilities Planning Committee, please return the completed form to one of the committee members before you leave the presentation. If you need more time, or if you have received this form by some other means, mail, fax, or email the completed form as soon as possible (and no later than April 29, 2005) to: MAIL: Barbara Bryan 2929 Rockrim Lane Billings, MT 59102 FAX: 259-6886 EMAIL: timcranston@aol.com 1. Which scenario do you like the most? Check one. □ Scenario One □ Scenario Two □ Scenario Three (Five high schools) (Four high schools) (Three high schools) Why? 2. Which scenario do you like the least? Check one. □ Scenario One □ Scenario Two □ Scenario Three (Five high schools) (Four high schools) (Three high schools) Why? 3. Scenarios one, two, and three focus on using existing SD2 buildings. Previously, the district proposed building a new school. Which do you prefer? Check one. □ Use existing facilities □ Build new facilities Why? 4. Regarding the Career Center, do you prefer a) to make it a fully accredited high school with varsity sports programs, b) to make it a fully accredited high school without varsity sports programs, or 3) to continue to operate it as a satellite high school campus, with students retaining an attachment to a different high school for purposes of sports and official enrollment? Check one. □ Accredited – with sports □ Accredited – without sports □ As-is Why? 5. On the back, please share any ideas you have that are not covered in the above questions. Thanks for your help! STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS* Billings’ public high schools 1) are overcrowded, 2) do not provide sufficient variety in the sizes of learning environments and in curriculum emphasis to meet the educational and social needs of all students, and 3) are in poor condition due to years of deferred maintenance and lack of modernization. There are many possible solutions to these problems that are educationally appropriate, but not all solutions are financially feasible. SHARED BELIEFS* These statements summarize shared beliefs of committee members about 1) the status of SD2 high school facilities, and 2) the focus of the committee’s facilities planning work: ■ Changes in high school function over the years have resulted in high school overcrowding. Current official enrollments at West and Senior high schools exceed the functional capacities of the schools. Enrollment at Skyview is approaching the school’s functional capacity. ■ Lincoln Center and the Career Center have potential for greater use as educational facilities. ■ Solutions should give preference to the use of existing district-owned buildings. ■ Solutions proposed by the committee should be bold, innovative, comprehensive, flexible, adaptable to changing circumstances, and responsive to community concerns. ■ Solutions proposed by the committee should a) improve the condition of existing schools, b) enhance district ability to meet student proficiency and achievement goals, c) improve graduation rates, d) enhance post-graduation opportunities for all students, e) incorporate smaller learning communities g) be educationally and developmentally sound for all grades, and h) not require all schools to be identical in size, design, or emphasis. ■ Solutions proposed by the committee should be cost-effective and clearly documented. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES* Actions recommended by this committee to the SD2 Board of Trustees should: ■ Make effective and efficient use of existing facilities ■ Address needs of all students, including those not college-bound and those at high risk of dropping out ■ Provide opportunities for students to learn in smaller learning environments, either by creating smaller schools or by implementing school-within-a-school concepts ■ Improve the quality of the physical learning environment in our schools ■ Not contribute to urban sprawl ■ Be financially sustainable ■ Encourage partnering between School District 2 and other public and private entities so as to encourage cost sharing for facilities and programs ■ Be a good value to district taxpayers in terms of capital and operating costs ■ Be consistent with the Shared Beliefs; address issues identified in the Statement of Problems * Foundational tools developed by the committee to guide discussions and the evaluation of ideas High School Scenarios for Public Comment School District 2 Twenty-Year School Facilities Planning Scenario One: FIVE HIGH SCHOOLS* Grade 9-12 Schools at: 1) Senior, 2) West, 3) Skyview, 4) Lincoln Center, 5) Career Center; lowest estimated preliminary capital cost 1) SENIOR: Limit enrollment to capacity of existing building; renovate; reduce student population** (move Lockwood students to Lincoln; attract more to Career Center). 2) SKYVIEW: Limit enrollment to capacity of existing building; renovate for current capacity; reduce student population** (move Lockwood students to Lincoln; attract more to Career Center) 3) WEST: Limit enrollment to capacity of existing building; renovate; reduce students population** (move some to Senior; attract more to Career Center) 4) LINCOLN CENTER: Convert to comprehensive high school; populate with 400 full-time Lockwood students moved from Senior/Skyview and with re-located Crossroads alternative school. Move SD2 administration out of Lincoln to Crossroads on Grand Ave.; move Adult Ed from Lincoln to Garfield School or other appropriate location for people served. 5) CAREER CENTER: Retain career focus; expand building to increase capacity; approx. double current student population** (draw more from Senior, West, and Skyview); expand attendance to include all grades 9-12 (currently limited to grades 11-12). Operate as fully accredited high school with or without varsity sports, OR continue to operate as satellite facility with students attached to a different school for purposes of sports and official enrollment. Scenario Two: FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS* Grade 9-12 High Schools at 1) Senior, 2) West, 3) Skyview, 4) Career Center; mid-range estimated preliminary capital cost 1) SENIOR: Limit enrollment to capacity of existing building; renovate; reduce student population** (move Lockwood to Skyview; attract more to Career Ctr) 2) SKYVIEW: Expand building to increase capacity; renovate; increase student population** (add Lockwood students moved from Senior and West) 3) WEST: Expand building to increase capacity; renovate; reduce student population** (move some to Senior; attract more to Career Center). 4) CAREER CENTER: Limit enrollment to capacity of existing building; use space vacated by frosh academy to draw more students from Senior, West, and Skyview; continue to operate as satellite facility and allow all grades 9-12 to attend part-time and/or full-time for career-focused instruction (currently, only grades 11-12 attend). Scenario Three: THREE HIGH SCHOOLS* Grade 9-12 High Schools at 1) Senior, 2 )West, 3) Skyview; highest estimated preliminary capital cost 1) SENIOR: Limit enrollment to capacity of existing building; renovate; reduce student population** (move Lockwood to Skyview) 2 SKYVIEW: Expand to increase capacity; renovate; increase student population** (add Lockwood students from Senior) 3) WEST: Expand to increase capacity; renovate; increase student population** _____________ * As used here, the term “high school” refers to any school building that will have students from all four grades (9-12) as part of its student population. ** Student populations indicate actual numbers of students in each school building during the day, accounting for fact that some 2,000 HS students spend some or all of their days at SD2 sites other than Senior, West, and Skyview (i.e., at Lincoln, Career Center, and Crossroads). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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