Superintendent’s Message
The school district is considering a possible April 2020 referendum. We need your help to make this important decision.
The need for facility updates was brought to light by a 2017 audit that identified various safety, spacial, and equipment concerns. The study pinpointed the absence of secure entrances at the elementary and middle schools and a lack of ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance in the middle school locker room restrooms, shower facilities, and high school pool.
The audit also highlighted several spacial issues, specifically in the middle school physical education, band, choir, and special education classrooms and the high school band and choir room, locker room, and weight room. This shortage of space hinders program effectiveness.
Finally, the facility audit detected failing and inefficient equipment and suggested needed maintenance. The administrative team and Board of Education took findings from the study and subsequent feedback and developed a long-term plan.
Now the district needs your help to determine the next steps. Focus groups will meet in September to review proposed projects and determine the best course of action. A survey will be sent in early October to gather community input on suggested repairs. I urge you to participate in one or both of these opportunities, to ensure we are considering the good of the whole community as we continue to plan for the future of our schools.
Where can we learn more about the potential projects?
During the month of September, the Board will hold scheduled Focus group meetings to review proposed projects and capture feedback from community members. This collected input will be a valuable resource as the district continues to plan for the future of the Elk Mound Area Schools. Consider attending one of these Focus group meetings to be held on:
- Wednesday, September 4 at the High School Auditorium: 7:00 pm
- Monday, September 9 at the Middle School Commons: 6:00 pm
- SPECIAL Board Meeting - Monday, October 28 at the High School Auditorium: 6:00 PM
- Attend for an update on survey results from School Perceptions and recap on the community focus groups.
What facility improvement projects are under consideration?
The following tables highlight priority maintenance needs by school. Each table identifies the measure and a general description of the need. Links for proposed renovation renderings are also included for the middle and high school facilities. Projects are dependent on available funding.
Mound View Elementary School
|
Measure
|
General Description
|
Secure Entrance
|
A secure entryway for the building would be ideal for controlling the flow of people entering the facility. When the school is locked, entry will only be allowed into the building through the main office. Preliminary designs have been discussed but costs can vary depending on final design.
|
Roofing
|
Roofing is 25 years old in almost all areas and should be evaluated for replacement in the next year.
|
Digital Controls
|
Update front end of the digital controls and install BACnet controls.
|
Boilers
|
Replace and update two existing Burnham boilers with two new high-efficiency boilers that will run off of natural gas and propane.
|
Paint Gym Floor
|
The District should strip the floor, sand the wood, repaint lines, and refinish.
|
Gym Divider
|
Remove existing divider and replace with an automatic curtain.
|
Elk Mound Middle School
|
Measure
|
General Description
|
Secure Entrance
|
A single secure entryway for the building would be ideal for controlling the flow of people entering the facility.
|
Locker Rooms/Restrooms
|
The locker room restrooms and shower facilities require renovation to conform to ADA standards.
|
Roofing
|
There is both ballasted rubber roofing and adhered rubber roofing at the middle school. The ages of the different roof surfaces appear to vary with the oldest sections over 20 years old. The estimated cost is based on replacement of 52,500 square feet.
|
Digital Controls
|
Updated front end of the digital controls and install BACnet controls.
|
Boilers
|
Replace and update two Burnham boilers to two new high-efficiency boilers that will run off of natural gas and propane.
|
Condensing Units
|
Replace and update condenser and Dx coil on AHU-1 from R-22 to a 410A system.
|
Air Handler in Basement/MS Gym
|
Replace and update AHU in basement. Move it into the first-floor storage room. Update OA to code for occupancy.
|
Fire Alarm
|
Older pieces of the fire alarm system should be scheduled for replacement.
|
Roof Access
|
Roof access on the east side of the building needs to be fixed as students can get onto the building in this location. This could be fixed with an addition.
|
Library
|
The District should update into a more collaborative space.
|
Drainage Issue
|
The District should fix the drainage issue in the classrooms on the north side of the building (131 and 129, 127, 125). This project would be included in the scope of adding a staff parking lot to the back of the school.
|
New Parking Lot (North Side)
|
The District should consider installing a new parking lot on the north side of the school. This would help alleviate congestion and safety issues by removing staff vehicles from the existing parking lot, leaving more space for parents during drop off and pick up times. The lot in the back should have 100 parking spots to accommodate for athletic events. This will help with safety issues as well as people won’t need to go into the school for gym activities.
|
Gym Space
|
Gym space is lacking and requires expansion. If the existing gym stays, then ventilation system will need to be updated in this area. If constructing a new gym, the District should plan to add 12,000 square feet.
|
Add Classrooms in Old Gym
|
The District should invest in additional SPED, Guidance, and Interventionist classrooms. The location of these classrooms is dependent on the renovation of the old gym. Location possibilities are depicted in the renderings shown earlier in this report.
|
New Construction Classrooms
|
The District should add on to the north side of the school to account for the lack of space and allow for the projected increased enrollment. New spaces could include Band (3,000 sq ft), Intervention (800 sq ft), SPED (800 sq ft), Guidance (800 sq ft), an additional classroom (800 sq ft), and a hallway (500 sq ft).
|
Middle School Proposed Renovation Option 1
Middle School Proposed Renovation Option 2
Elk Mound High School
|
Measure
|
General Description
|
Parking Lot
|
The asphalt between the bus garage and the main school is deteriorated and needs to be replaced. These areas should be patched.
|
Digital Controls
|
Update front end of the digital controls and install BACnet controls.
|
Boilers
|
Replace and update three Burnham boilers to three new high-efficiency boilers that will run off of natural gas and propane.
|
Roofing
|
The roofing was installed in 1998 and is in good condition at this time. However, it should be scheduled for replacement in the next few years to lower the probability of failure.
|
AC Units/AHUs
|
Replace and update condensing units and Dx coils from R-22 to a 410A system in several areas: high school weight room, administration office, auditorium, and AHU 16.
|
Library
|
The District should update this space to include more modernized furniture and areas for group collaboration. Updating this space will depend on the direction the District decides to go.
|
Woods Shop
|
The District should replace the dust collection system, renovate the painting booth/finishing area to allow for proper ventilation, separate the laser engraver exhaust system, and set up the middle room area to be a FAB lab (STEAM) area with a laser engraver, 3D printer, and proper ventilation. The estimated cost includes doing the recommended Woods Shop, Metals Shop, and Shop Area recommendations in this table.
|
Shop Area
|
The entrance to the shop area should be pushed back to the end of the hallway. This will open up the area so the bathrooms can be used for that wing of classrooms as well.
|
Metals Shop
|
The District should replace the welding booths, add storage (floor storage), invest in a larger hood over the plasma cutter, address code issues in the old darkroom (demo structure and reuse space/storage if needed), and upgrade the electrical circuit panel.
|
Athletic Field
|
The track has a number of issues. Some areas hold water after it rains due to improper drainage of the track and football field. As a result, the low areas on the track accumulate silt and become safety hazards for runners. There are also bumps and cracks in the track that need to be addressed. The District should install a rubber track to alleviate these issues.
|
Pool Space
|
Mechanical needs include: the outdoor des champs unit and code changes to the inside pool area ($346,000), replaster pool bottom and repaint pool (bottom of pool, lanes) $180,000, ADA compliance issues (lift $15,000, check diving board $15,000)
|
Weight Room
|
The weight room has a low ceiling which brings up several safety issues, such as students hitting it when trying to lift weights. The square footage of the area is also not adequate. The space should be completely renovated.
|
Existing Band/Choir Area
|
Currently, the band and choir areas are shared, and the lack of space is limiting program participation and efficiency in both areas. This lack of space for a highly popular activity needs to be addressed. The District should consider constructing new band and choir rooms that satisfy recommended square footages and the District’s needs. Recommended space is 3,000 square feet for the band room and 2,500 square feet for the choir room.
|
Locker Rooms
|
The locker room areas have issues with space, especially when there is a home game being played. There is no true visitor's locker room area, and there is an equity issue between the boys' and girls' locker rooms. Resolving the space issues and updating the space as a whole needs to be a priority.
|
New Band/Choir Rooms
|
The District should consider constructing new band and choir rooms that satisfy recommended square footages and satisfy the District’s needs. Band - 3,000 sq ft Choir - 2,500 sq ft
|
High School Proposed Renovation Options 1 and 2
High School Proposed Renovation Option 3
High School Proposed Renovation Option 3A
A complete list of the Elk Mound Area School District’s Long-Term Maintenance Plan can be found here.
How will this impact taxes?
The District has been a good steward of its resources. The last referendum was in 2009 to add classrooms to the elementary and middle schools and add a commons area and kitchen to the high school. Over the past decade, the District has worked hard to pay off this debt, making the tax impact of any new spending minimal.
If the district was to proceed with projects, a chart with the potential estimated tax rate as well as mill rate comparison of surrounding schools is located below.
Referendum Amount
|
$9 Million
|
$11 Million
|
$13 Million
|
$15 Million
|
$17 Million
|
$19 Million
|
Tax increase per $100,000 of property value
|
No increase over the current level
|
$24 per year ($2/month)
|
$48 per year ($4/month)
|
$72 per year ($6/month)
|
$96 per year ($8/month)
|
$120 per year ($10/month)
|
|