The Northwest R-1 Board of Education plans to ask voters in April to approve a bond issue.
School board members agreed at a Nov. 10 work session to place a bond issue for somewhere between $24 million and $30 million on the April ballot to generate funds for safety and security updates for all the district’s buildings, as well as to pay for some additions and renovations.
The bond issue would not require a tax increase, although it would extend the district’s bond debt.
District spokesman Chuck McPherson said Nov. 18 that he did not know how long the debt would be extended.
Board members are expected to determine the exact bond issue amount and the ballot language at its Dec. 15 meeting.
Northwest School District officials have been working on a five-year facilities plan that calls for building renovations to be completed before an expected drop in enrollment leads to lower revenue.
The district hired the Paragon Architecture firm in Springfield to draw up a demographics and enrollment study to help paint a more vivid picture of where enrollment will be over the next decade, as well as to plan for proposed renovations, should the bond issue pass.
Brad Erwin of Paragon Architecture presented the school board with a draft version of that study on Nov. 16, which indicated that student enrollment numbers are on the decline. It showed an expected decrease of 6 percent to 14 percent within the next 10 years.
The district’s current enrollment is 5,726, and statistical models project that it will drop to somewhere between 4,990 and 5,454 by 2032-2033, Erwin said.
The decline was attributed to several factors, including fewer children being born within the district; an aging population as the number of residents 60 and older increases; and a lack of new home construction or new homes geared toward families.
Erwin said just 150 people are projected to move into the district over the next decade.
Because of the expected drop in enrollment, the Northwest district doesn’t “need to add any new classrooms” because they are not going to find themselves “in a crunch,” he said.
However, he recommended the district continue investing in existing structures.
Those assessments align with what the school board has been seeing, leading them to form committees this past year to develop a master plan.
Part of that plan includes the proposed bond issue and an outline of districtwide improvements to be funded with revenue it would generate.
Although the focus of the construction would be on Valley Middle School, every building would be “touched” as part of these proposed safety and security renovations, Northwest Superintendent Jennifer Hecktor said.
According to design outlines provided by the Northwest School District, overall cost estimates for the projects range from $25,472,000 to $26,808,000.
The districtwide improvements would include new fire alarm panels, phone system upgrades, surveillance system upgrades and intercom system replacements, as well as renovating entryways at Woodridge Middle School and High Ridge, Cedar Springs and Brennan Woods elementary schools, and updating playground equipment at all the elementary schools. High Ridge Elementary also would see plumbing renovations, while Murphy Elementary would see storm drainage improvements.
Brennan Woods, Cedar Springs and Maple Grove elementary schools all would receive “site circulations,” meaning construction of new driving/walking lanes and parking lots. Maple Grove will also see an Americans With Disabilities Act compliant lift built.
At Valley Middle School, restrooms would be renovated, an addition to the Fine Arts classroom would be built, and security gates and canopies would be installed.
An exterior tricycle track would be constructed at the Early Childhood Center.
Also, improvements would be made to the district bus barn.
Finally, House Springs Elementary would see construction of a gymnasium addition, and Northwest High School improvements would include exterior classroom wing enclosures; a multi-purpose athletics addition; and new furniture, fixtures and equipment for the multipurpose athletics addition. A total of $1,670,000 has been allotted as Paragon Architecture’s fee.