GRANGER – Results of a telephone survey reflect what residents have already said in listening groups and in online surveys, and that is parents strongly prefer a two-new-building plan to replace the Highland school district’s three aging elementary schools.
With a 5.1 mill operating levy expiring in 2018, school officials must now tackle the timing of when to ask for renewal of the operating levy and when to place a new bond issue before voters. Operating levies are for day-to-day expenses (salaries, buses, maintenance, etc.) and bond issues are strictly for building costs.
At the May 15 board of education meeting, school officials said the district could not do without $4.1 million in funding which the 5.1 operating levy brings in (the last year of collection on that levy would be in 2018). Estimated costs for the preferred option to build two new elementary buildings are $55.5 million.
At the May 15 board meeting, Triad Research group gave a detailed presentation on a survey they conducted of 350 likely voters (voters who voted in the last two elections). The highlights of the survey were as follows:
• 94 percent rated the quality of education excellent (72 percent) or good (22 percent)
• 69 percent agree that they trust the district to do a good job with tax money (59 percent in 2014)
• 53 percent believe the elementary and middle school need major repairs or replaced (46 percent in 2015)
When asked which building option is preferred: 46 percent favor three new elementary schools, 52 percent favor two new elementary schools and 33 percent prefer one new elementary school
At the end of the survey, 65 percent of voters said they would support a bond issue; but voters were still divided in their preference with 26 percent for three new elementary schools, 26 percent for two new elementary schools and 15 percent for one new elementary school – 44 percent of voters would support multiple options. Estimated costs (per $100,00 home value) were; $60 million to build three elementary schools (estimated cost about $11 a month), $55.5 million to build two new elementary schools (estimated cost $10.33 cents a month), $54 million to build one new school (cost about $10 a month).
Kathy Severinski, senior partner at Triad Research Group, which conducted the latest phone survey, said there was little support from parents or those without children at home for building one new elementary school. Residents cited distance and busing costs as the main reasons they would not support one new school. Residents citied more of a community feeling as the main reason for building two or three new elementary schools.
“A $55.5 million bond issue to build two new schools – one in Hinckley and one in Sharon – has the best chance of passing,” said Severinski. “The issue has more support among non-parents, and voters in Granger Township and those who said they were ‘probably’ for this option. Highland parents are slightly more supportive of the three-school plan than the two school plan.”
Severinski added that there may be a chance of passing a $60 million bond issue to build three new schools if the schools can communicate the reasons for this plan and the relatively small cost difference.
“There is community support for new elementary schools,” said Severinski. “By the end of the survey, 65 percent of voters would definitely or probably vote for a bond issue to building new elementary schools and renovate the middle school and over half of those surveyed favor building two new elementary schools.”
Superintendent Catherine Aukerman said she felt the district was “facing a bit of an obstacle” in addressing when to place issues before voters.”
“Passing the $4.1 million renewal levy is critical and we have to consider that in deciding when to put a bond issue up to replace the elementary buildings,” she said. “If we go forward with the bond issue first, voters may or may not support a renewal levy and we cannot operate without those funds. Two years ago when the issue was discussed, there wasn’t much support to replace the elementary schools but now there is. Going forward, we are aiming to decide what our next steps should be and we should be determining that sometime in June.”
In other action at the board meeting, several parents expressed a concern, and others spoke in favor, over a relatively new program at Sharon Elementary School titled “The Leader In Me.” The program is centered on life skills and making positive choices. Those who spoke in favor of the program felt it had improved those skills in their children. However, several parents said the explanation of what the program was and its cost was vague. Several parents said the skills the program focused on were ones parents already instill at home and were concerned with loosing academic time for the program and cost.
Board president, Dr. Norman Christopher, thanked everyone who spoke on the issue adding that the board always welcomes different views on school issues. Aukerman said school officials will follow up on the concerns and work to expand communication with parents on the program.
