School Construction Report
Goal 2008: WCPSS is committed to academic excellence. By 2008, 95 percent of students in grades 3 through 12 will be at or above grade level as measured by the State of North Carolina End-of-Grade or Course tests, and all student groups will demonstrate high growth.
February 17, 2006
COMMISSIONERS CONSIDER COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION
In a joint meeting Feb 15, the school board and county commissioners discussed
the tax rate implications of sample building program scenarios through 2010.
The meeting is part of the on-going process to determine the best way to
provide much-needed classroom seats for the next five years during a period
of tremendous growth, and the financial impact on the community.
In costing out three scenarios, county officials said building mainly new schools would require a property tax increase of 11.1 cents for capital and operating the facilities, whereas converting all existing elementary and middle schools to a multi-track year-round calendar would require a 7.2-cent increase.
Scenario A
$1.705 billion - Bond Amount
7.9 cents - Tax Rate Increase for Capital
3.2 cents - Tax Rate Increase for Operating the Facilities
11.1 cents - Total Tax Rate Increase - Impact of Scenarios for Capital Programs
$200/year - Total Annual Tax Increase on Median House in Wake ($175,000)
Scenario B
$1. 563 billion - Bond Amount
6.5 cents - Tax Rate Increase for Capital
3.1 cents - Tax Rate Increase for Operating the Facilities
9.6 cents - Total Tax Rate Increase - Impact of Scenarios for Capital Programs
$168/year - Total Annual Tax Increase on Median House in Wake ($175,000)
Scenario C
$1.225 billion - Bond Amount
3.4 cents - Tax Rate Increase for Capital
3.8 cents - Tax Rate Increase for Operating the Facilities
7.2 cents - Total Tax Rate Increase - Impact of Scenarios for Capital Programs
$126/year - Total Annual Tax Increase on Median House in Wake ($175,000)
BOARD IDENTIFIES SCENARIOS FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM
At its Feb. 7 committee of the whole meeting, the Board of Education established
three scenarios for the next school construction program through 2010. The
three scenarios include:
$1.975 billion with 19 elementary, six middle and three high schools. This would include three new year-round elementary and one new year-round middle school. It would require conversion of 10 elementary and four middle schools to the year-round calendar.
$1.797 billion with 14 elementary, five middle and three high schools. All of the new elementary and middle schools would be on the year-round calendar. It would require conversion of 10 elementary and four middle schools to the year-round calendar.
$1.375 billion with five elementary, two middle and two high schools. All of the new elementary and middle schools would be on the year-round calendar. It would require conversion of 69 elementary and 24 middle schools to the year-round calendar.
All three options call for spending $528 million on school maintenance and renovations and $221 million for support facilities. All include plans for conversion of traditional calendar schools to year-round to address crowding at elementary and middle schools. Multi-track year round schools increase the number of students the school can serve by more than 20 percent. The variables in the scenarios are the number of new schools to be built and the number of schools to be converted to the year-round calendar. The scenarios will be used by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce to poll voters. The chamber poll will help the board and county commissioners as they continue planning for a November 2006 referendum on the school construction program.
BOARD CONSIDERS CENTERS TO RELIEVE HIGH SCHOOL CROWDING
In its Feb. 7 committee of the whole meeting, the Board of Education discussed
proposals to provide relief for crowded high school campuses. Panther Creek
and Holly Springs high schools open for 2006-07 and another comprehensive
high school is not scheduled to open before 2009. New high schools will
be included in the school construction program voters will consider in November
2006.
In order to provide space for high schools, school administrators are considering
creating four ninth-grade centers in 2007. The proposals include:
· Wake Forest-Rolesville students going to a modular campus at the
DuBois Center.
· Millbrook students going to modular buildings used during the school's
renovation.
· Garner students going to modular and mobile classrooms added to
the campus.
· Wakefield students going to a vacant Winn-Dixie supermarket that
would be converted into school space.
· Cary High students will continue to use the East Cary Middle School
as a ninth-grade center for 2007-08.
East Cary Middle would continue serving as a ninth-grade center for Cary High students in 2007-08, but will open as a new year-round middle school in 2008. For 2008, Cary High students would move into a new ninth-grade center. In 2007, the new Wendell Middle School would be started early at the temporarily modular campus now being used by Wakelon Elementary School.
BOARD AGREES TO BUY AND LEASE SITES FOR NEW SCHOOLS
At its Feb. 7 meeting, the Board of Education agreed to purchase three sites
and lease a fourth for school sites.
The school system moved forward on plans for Cary Park Elementary School. The school system, county commissioners, the town of Cary and developers have discussed the proposed school since 2000. The board has now approved an agreement with Panther Creek-Raleigh Limited Partnership for a donation of 20 acres on Green Level-Durham Road, as well as a $5.5 million contribution toward construction of a full sized elementary school. The school system also has an option to buy an adjoining 30-acre site for a middle school.
The board agreed to buy the Bespak industrial plant on Laura Duncan Road in southeastern Cary for a new elementary school. The school system will pay $5 million for the 92,000-square-foot industrial plant district will make an elementary school out of the 92,000-square-foot industrial plant and 15 acre site.
The board agreed to pay $3,105,900 for a 20.3-acre site on Leesville Road near Interstate 540.
The school system plans to locate elementary schools at the three sites in 2008. The schools would be built as part of the school construction program that will go to voters in November 2006.
The board also reached agreement to pay $4.67 million over 10 years to lease the former Winn Dixie on Durham Road in Wake Forest. The school system plans to make $7.5 million in renovations to the site to use it as an off-campus ninth-grade center for Wakefield High School in 2007-08.
BOARD NAMES E13 EAST GARNER ELEMENTARY
At its Feb. 7 meeting, the Board of Education agreed to name the E13 elementary
school site East Garner Elementary School. On April 5, 2005, the board had
approved a contract to acquire approximately 27 acres of land on Jones Sausage
and Radio Station Road in Garner for an elementary school.
BOARD APPROVES SCHEMATIC DESIGN FOR EAST MILLBROOK MIDDLE
At its Feb. 7 meeting, the Board of Education approved schematic design
documents prepared by The Roberts Group, for the Phase I construction and
renovation of East Millbrook Middle School. The board agreed to include
a slightly larger 600-seat auditorium to meet the needs of the A+ Creative
Arts program at the magnet school. The project would be included in the
next school construction program.
BOARD APPROVES CHANGE ORDER FOR HOLLY SPRINGS HIGH ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
At its Feb. 7 meeting, the Board of Education approved Change Order No.
102 to DeVere Construction Company, Inc. in the amount of $356,327.86 for
road improvements to Cass Holt Road as required by NC DOT. This is the first
phase of the NC DOT improvements for Cass Holt Road and Avent Ferry Road.
The remaining road improvements (Phase B - Cass Holt Road and Avent Ferry
Road intersection and improvements of Avent Ferry Road) are currently in
negotiation for funding partnership with the Town of Holly Springs and will
be submitted as a future Change Order.
-wcpss-
The School Construction Report is published electronically every other week for everyone interested in the Wake County Public School System. Is what you read in this edition helpful? What information would you like to see in future editions? Contact me by calling 850-1829 or e-mailing bposton@wcpss.net.
Bill Poston
Wake County Public School System
Communications Department
3600 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27611
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