building use study plattsburgh city school district presentation to the board january 9, 2014

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Building Use StudyPlattsburgh City School District

Presentation to the Board

January 9, 2014

Castallo and Silky-Education Consultants

Bill Silky and Phil Martin, Consultants

Purpose of Study1. Given the practical capacities of the existing

schools and in light of future enrollment projections, is it feasible to reduce the number of operating school buildings and continue to maintain the quality of the educational program? If so, how might the buildings best be utilized and what might the fiscal implications be? If not, what building modifications, if any, should be made, and why?

2. Is it feasible to relocate district office functions to another school building? If so, what are the options for their relocation?

2Castallo & Silky-Education Consultants

Acknowledgements• Jake Short, Jay Lebrun, and Dawn Stetz• The school principals• Claudine Selzer and Norbert Neiderer• The Advisory Committee Members

(David Coryer, John Haubner, Scott Beebie, Paul Grasso, Walter Chmura, Christina Coryea, Mary Lou Megarr, Ben Wright, Carrie Zales, Mike Haley, Amy Senecal

• The Board of Education


Findings1. Except for special education students,

all students walk to school or are transported by their parents.

2. K-12 enrollment has declined by 1.9% over the past five years, from 1,833 to 1,799

3. K-12 enrollment is projected to increase by 3.2% over the next five years, to 1,856.

4. K-5 enrollment has increased by 1.3% over the past five years, from 829 to 840.

5. K-5 enrollment is projected to increase by 8.0% over the next five years to 907.


Findings6. Middle school enrollment has declined by

4.4% over the past five years, from 408 to 390.

7. Middle school enrollment is projected to remain stable for three years, then increase to 410 in seven years.

8. High school enrollment has declined by 4.5% over the past five years, from 596 to 569.

9. High school enrollment is projected to decline to 538 in three years, but then increase to 557 in seven years.


Enrollment History & Projections


Findings10. The instructional program is

somewhat comparable across the elementary schools;



Core Academics


Special Area Subjects

Findings11. Elementary student that attend

Bailey and Oak perform slightly better than those attending Momot on state tests. This is likely due to socio-economic differences in families

served.


A Measure of Family Poverty


Findings

12.Since nearly all K-12 students walk or are driven by their parents daily to their respective schools, transportation concerns are not an issue related to this study.

13.All buildings in the district need structural improvement.


Findings


Findings14. Over the next

five years the three elementary schools will need the same number of classrooms as this year, but no more than this year.


Findings

15. Except for Stafford Middle School, school parking areas are adequate for current use.

16. Relocating students to Bailey or Stafford would require additional parking.

17. The boundaries of Stafford Middle School do not permit the construction of additional parking.


Findings18. Construction of additional classrooms

at Bailey may require acquisition of park property from the City.

19. The legality of acquiring park property from the City is uncertain, even if the City is willing to release the property.

20. Additional classrooms at Bailey could present safety concerns regarding the increased influx of vehicles at the beginning and end of the school day.


Findings21. Closing Oak and relocating the students to Bailey would result in an estimated staff savings of $190,700.


Findings22.Closing Oak and maintaining it at

minimal heat and light would result in an estimated annual savings of $50,300.

23.The estimated annual debt service cost of a twenty classroom addition to Bailey is approximately $100,000 per year for twenty years.


Findings24.The estimated annual savings for selling the

Duken building or swapping it with the City for a segment of park land adjacent to Bailey Avenue Elementary School is $84,600.


Findings25.There is sufficient space in the high

school and middle school to accommodate district office functions.


Options: Advantages & Disadvantages


Options


1. Continue current grade and building configuration

2. Keep all classroom buildings open; relocate district office functions to middle/high schools; sell, lease, or maintain Duken building

3. Sell Duken or swap for city park property; close Oak; construct 20-classroom addition to Bailey; relocate district office functions to middle/high schools, or Oak,

or Bailey; sell, lease, or maintain Oak

4. Construct 8-classroom addition to Bailey; close Oak; reconfigure grade alignment to PK-4, 5-8, 9-12; realign attendance zone with one-quarter of Bailey to Momot; relocate district office functions to Oak or Middle/High Schools

Option 1

Continue current grade and building configuration


Advantages Disadvantages

•Keeps all classroom buildings open to accommodate possible enrollment increase;•Permit lease of individual rooms within Duken building as a revenue source;•Maintain an asset (the Duken building) that may be needed in the future by the district; and•Avoids any negative reaction to change

•Does not make efficient use of current building space except for lease of individual rooms at Duken•Does not reduce operational costs•No benefit from possible revenue from the sale of a building (Duken).

Option 2Keep all classroom buildings open;

relocate district office functions to middle/high schools;

sell, lease, or maintain Duken building

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Castallo & Silky-Education Consultants

Advantages Disadvantages•Keeps all classroom buildings open to accommodate projected enrollment increase;•Increases efficiency of space utilization if Duken is sold or leased;•If Duken is sold, an annual operational savings of approximately $71,825 - $84,600 is generated (current assessed valuation of Duken is $1,879,200);•Saves approximately 1% on the tax levy;•Cost of renovating high and middle school is absorbed by saving due to Duken closing;•Provides opportunity to lease Duken;•Maintains Duken if needed in the future; and•Avoids any negative reaction to change in student building assignments

•Diminishes communication effectiveness among district office personnel associated with relocation of various functions to non-contiguous rooms within the high school and middle school;•Reduces available classroom space at the middle school and high school should student enrollment increase substantially; and•Removes a potential long-term asset should the Duken building be sold.

Option 3

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Sell the Duken building or swap it for a segment of park land near the Bailey Avenue Elementary School, close Oak Street Elementary School, construct an addition to Bailey Avenue Elementary School, and relocate district office functions to the addition at Bailey Avenue Elementary School, or to the Oak Street building, or to a combination of the high school and middle school.

Option 4Construct 8-classroom addition to Bailey; close Oak; reconfigure grade alignment to PK-4, 5-8, 9-12;realign attendance zone with one-quarter of Bailey to Momot;relocate district office functions to Oak or Middle/High SchoolsThis option is not feasible because:1- A lack of instructional classroom space for additional grade and lack of parking space. Assessment of possible space

availability at Stafford finds that a maximum of six classrooms could be made available. Over the next seven years a minimum of seven to eight classrooms would be necessary for the building to serve grades 5-8.

2- The parking lot is inadequate to accommodate staff currently, with no room for expansion. Accordingly, the lot could not accommodate increased staff for a 5-8 middle school.

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Recommendation

We recommend that the Board of Education work with district administration to relocate the district office functions currently located in the Duken building to the high school and middle school for the 2014-15 school year. As soon as possible, a plan for distribution of these offices between both secondary buildings should be crafted by the Superintendent and his staff. The following floor plans provide possible locations at both Stafford Middle School and Plattsburgh High School for district offices. These might serve as a beginning basis for discussion.


Questions????


building use study plattsburgh city school district presentation to the board january 9, 2014

Documents

middle school enrollment

high school enrollment

special education students

stafford middle school

school parking areas

elementary schools

existing schools

respective schools