Growth spurs Greenwood school officials to seek millage increase

Officials with and community supporters of the Greenwood Public School District have about two weeks to convince school district voters to approve a 2.8 mill increase that would pay to build a third elementary facility for the district.

The special millage election is set for March 9.

The Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority recently donated 22 acres at the northwest corner of Chad Colley Boulevard and Massard Road for a new elementary school for the Greenwood District. The FCRA on Feb. 18 also set aside an additional 28 acres to be held for five years for a proposed intermediate Greenwood school. The land will be subject to a first right of refusal, meaning that if the FCRA gets an offer on the property, the Greenwood School District will have an opportunity to buy the land or let it go.

A new elementary would relieve the overcrowding at East Hills Elementary and Westwood Elementary, according to District Superintendent Kay Johnson. She noted in an e-mail interview with The City Wire that 300 students would be moved to a new elementary if it was opened today.

A new 80,000-square-foot building is expected to cost $14.2 million and would house up to 750 students. The money would come from $12 million in “Qualified School Construction Bonds” and $2.2 million from a state grant. The low-interest qualified bonds are part of the federal stimulus package and their availability will expire at the end of March, Johnson noted.

A flyer produced by the school district shows that the owner of property appraised at $200,000 will pay an extra $9.33 a month — or about $112 a year — if the millage increase gains voter approval. An owner of property appraised at $100,000 would pay an extra $56 a year.

The flyer also projects that the student population of the Greenwood Public School District will grow from 3,610 in 2010 to 4,415 in 2018. The growth will come from continued industrial and commercial development at Chaffee Crossing that could result in residential growth in the northern section of the Greenwood district.

Following is an e-mail Q&A The City Wire conducted with Superintendent Johnson.

TCW: What is the cost estimate (estimate range?) on this new elementary school?
Total cost of $14.2 million with $12 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCB) and $2.2 million from the state facilities division.

TCW: What is the size (estimated square foot?) of the new school?
To be built for about 750 students – total of 80,000 SF.

TCW: How does that compare to the other elementary schools in the district?
It will be smaller yet still much bigger than an average elementary facility. Our other two elementary schools are East Hills 95,987 SF and Westwood 90,880 SF. These figures include the gym and cafeteria.

TCW: How many new teachers would be hired to staff the school? Administrators?
Because our two elementary buildings are over crowded, we will move some of our current staff to that facility. Then, the number of additional teachers we initially hire will be dictated by the number of students attending by grade level in that zone. With the number of students currently living in that attendance zone, we would open the school with about 300 students if it were available today. By the time the school is completed in the fall of 2012, we can only estimate how many elementary aged students will be living in that area. We plan to hire one principal at first for that location, and as our numbers grow in that zone, an assistant principal will be hired as required by state standards.

TCW: On an annualized basis, what will the addition of the new elementary do to your maintenance and operations (new teacher salaries, supplies, utilities, etc.) budget?
We estimate $193,000 for utilities, labor, and supplies to maintain the building. Existing staff (teachers, paras, etc.) would initially be transferred from the other two elementary schools with the probable addition of a counselor, principal and media specialist for about $165,000.

As enrollment increases, our state funding increases because it is based on student count. We anticipate our growth will take care of the additional expenses.

TCW: Does the $12M from the feds have a match requirement?
No match is required.

TCW: What is the prescribed time frame for the $2.2M from the state?
We anticipate having two more years to access the $2.2 million. We will receive it on a reimbursement basis as we build the new school.

TCW: Is there a plan B in the event the voters reject the millage increase?
School districts are only allowed to set millage rates once per calendar year. If the 2.8 mill increase is denied by our voters, our millage will remain at 38.7. The millage voted in this election will be effective for collection in 2011. Our next millage election will be in 2011 to set the rate for collection in 2012.

If our millage increase proposal fails, we will likely ask for an increase again in our 2011 election and try a third time for funding for a new elementary school. If we continue to grow, we will have to temporarily resort to portable buildings on our elementary campuses to accommodate the need for additional classroom space. However, portable buildings do not meet the "safe, warm, and dry" standards required by the state, so we could be placed in facilities distress unless we can manage financially to build standard classrooms onto our existing elementary buildings.

We already have large elementary buildings and do not want to add onto them. Plus, with all the growth in the northwestern part of our district it makes sense to provide a school in that area instead of busing all those students into Greenwood.

TCW: What civic groups (chamber, civic clubs, etc.) have endorsed the millage increase?
Our local Kiwanis Club has passed a resolution to support the millage increase. I’ll be speaking to Rotary next Friday and asking for their endorsement at that time.

TCW: What have you done and are you doing to get the word out about the election and its importance to future district growth?
We’ve held public meetings, talked to civic organizations, worked with our staff, met with small "coffee shop" groups, the usual efforts by school and school board officials. Plus, we have enlisted the help of an informed and organized community/parent group to talk to people about the issues and to sign them up as a committed yes vote. Leaders in this group will be staying in touch with their "yes voters" to remind them about early voting and election day voting.

TCW: Has any organized opposition formed?
No, there’s no organized opposition.