WPS School Board Approves February 2014 Ballot Questions

Wayzata School Board Approves February 2014 Ballot Questions to Address Enrollment Growth

(10/15/13) – Wayzata, MN: After months of research, review and analysis, the Wayzata School Board voted unanimously to place two school funding questions before voters at a special election on February 25, 2014.

• Question one will ask voters to approve $109.645 million in bond funding to expand Wayzata High School, build a new elementary school and upgrade safety, security and technology.

• Question two will ask voters to renew the district’s existing technology levy (called a “capital projects levy”), which will expire in 2016. The renewal would simply extend that levy -­‐ which funds technology equipment, support and training districtwide with approximately $2.7 million annually – for an additional ten years.

“A tremendous amount of work went into this proposal,” said School Board Chair Sue Droegemueller. “We owe a great deal of thanks to the Community Task Force on Facilities, the Citizens Finance Advisory Council, the Board Facilities Committee and staff for their comprehensive analysis of the data, various options and the final recommendation. Our students – both current and future – need quality learning spaces, and these ballot questions will help provide just that.”

The need to expand capacity at the high school, add an eighth elementary school and upgrade security and technology are being driven by: • More births and students moving into the district • More housing — 1,200 new homes have been built in the district over the past four years and at least another 1,600 new homes are expected to be built in the next four years • More students already in the schools — most district schools are already at capacity, including the high school, and incoming classes from the district’s three middle schools increase each year • Projections for Wayzata High School to grow by as many as 900 students in the next 10 years • The State’s recent decision to fund all-­‐day Kindergarten that will create the need for 14-­‐16 additional elementary classrooms

At the October 14 School Board meeting before the unanimous Board vote to proceed with the referendum, all seven Board members asked to speak. They each addressed the massive amount of time and work that went into the recommendation, the questions they wrestled with and the Excellence. For each and every student.

confidence they had in the final recommendation being the right one to continue Wayzata's tradition of excellence. “I am fully supportive of the recommended action,” shared School Board Vice Chair Jay Hesby. “The comprehensive administrative recommendation represents a thoughtful, timely and fiscally prudent response to our immediate and future needs. It is consistent with our vision and ongoing commitment to excellence and is an appropriate investment with a modest tax impact that will serve district students and families exceedingly well for many years.”

If voters approve the ballot questions, the tax impact on the average Wayzata homeowner ($333,900 value home) would be approximately $10/month for the bond issue. There would be no tax increase for the technology levy renewal.

“We are fortunate to be on solid financial footing, due to excellent planning by this and past school boards,” said Finance Director Jim Westrum. “As the district grows, the already low tax impact on homeowners for this project should go even lower.”

As part of the process leading to the unanimous recommendation to expand the high school over other options, a Community Task Force on Facilities conducted a thorough review of: • Enrollment data • Various grade configurations • Information on other large high schools • Case studies of one vs two high schools • Benefits and challenges of one vs two high schools • Impact of expanding current high school • Cost comparisons

The school district administration will soon submit a “Review and Comment” requesting project approval to the Minnesota Department of Education, which has 60 days to provide its response.

The school district will also begin developing informational materials to share with the community leading up to the February 25, 2014 special election. The last time the school district requested voter-­‐approved bond funding was in 1998.

More information about the District’s proposal to address growing enrollment – including enrollment charts and housing development information – is available at www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/referendum.

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Excellence. For each and every student.