by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewleaders.com
School spaces that are flexible and adaptable for multiple uses are the basis for the Sartell-St. Stephen School District’s proposed $105.8-million bond project, and school officials will soon share those concepts with residents.
The space conceptions dovetail with the district’s mission statement, which says, “We see flexible, sustainable and safe facilities that support and encourage multi-faceted” academic and activities spaces for students and residents.
Plans and space-learning concepts will be shared at public meetings, which will be announced soon.
As educational methods become more technological with more collaborate teamwork projects, the whole shoebox classroom structures just don’t fit the bill anymore, according to research done by the Community Schools Planning Committee. The answer is to design flexible, collaborative spaces with the schools to accommodate hands-on learning methods for science, math, technology, engineering, arts and – often – a multi-disciplinary approach combining all those subjects.
Teachers and support staff are expected to work closely with architects to ensure those space and learning needs are met.
If approved by Sartell-St. Stephen School District voters May 24, the bond would pay for a brand-new high school on land next to Oak Ridge Elementary School. The other four remaining schools, including the current Sartell High School, would be remodeled and rearranged for other grade configurations. The new high school would be built for grades 9-12. The current high school will be repurposed to allow for grades 6-8. The current Sartell Middle School would house grades 3 through 5. The two elementary schools (Pine Meadow and Oak Ridge) would accommodate pre-K (age 4) through grade 2.
Needs
In recommending the $108-million bond issue, the Community Schools Planning Committee, comprised of nearly 100 people, took a close look at enrollment increases, patterns of enrollment, and the age and condition of buildings within the school district.
Before 1967, Sartell had only one school (grades K-6), built in 1931 and which now serves as the school district’s building for administrative services, early-childhood education, community education and temporary quarters for the Sartell Senior Connection. The building had to be remodeled about five years ago to accommodate those functions.
Before 1968, when Sartell students graduated from the old Sartell School, they had to go to St. Cloud or elsewhere for their post-elementary education. For high school, most went to Tech High School in St. Cloud.
However, in 1966, the Sartell school board voted to have its own school district, separate from the St. Cloud School District. After that momentous decision, the next year, in 1967, voters approved a bond issue for a new school. Then, in 1968, the new school was built, the building that is now known as Sartell Middle School, which served as a combined junior and senior high school. Sartell High School was constructed in 1993 to accommodate grades 9-12.
Meantime, the former junior-senior high school was renamed Sartell Middle School for grades 5-8. Pine Meadow Elementary School was built in 1999 for grades K-4, and Oak Ridge Elementary was constructed in 2004, also for grades K-4.
As the population of Sartell grew dramatically through the past three decades and school enrollments skyrocketed, the need for more space became ever more apparent. Student population was 1,450 in 1985. By last year, 2015, it had nearly tripled – to 3,771. Current estimates of future enrollment indicate an increase of about 8 percent during the next 10 years. One factor requiring more space is the state now supports all-day kindergarten, rather than the half-day attendance as in the past.
There were additions or updates added to all schools through the years, including four times for the middle school – in 1985, 1990, 1991 and 2014. In 2014, many improvements were also made at the other three schools in Sartell.
Cost breakdowns
Of the $105.8-million bond, a new high school will require the lion’s share of that amount: $78 million for the actual building, $7 million for site development and $5 million for fees and land purchase.
If voters approve the bond, the high school would be constructed next to Oak Ridge Elementary School on 100 acres, 80 of which are owned by the school district, 20 of which will be purchased from a developer who now owns them.
Amenities at the new high school will include an eight-lane swimming pool; gym space; a performing-arts center; lab-project spaces; a robotics room; and lots of teamwork spaces for science, technology, engineering and math.
Remodeling the current Sartell High School for grades 6-8 would cost $10.2 million.
Doing upgrades to the current middle school, including a secure entrance plan and lighting updates, would cost $2.3 million.
Upgrades at Pine Meadow and Oak Ridge elementary schools would include a secure entrance plan and dehumidification systems, for a total cost of about $1.8 million.
Furniture updates for pre-K through grade 8 would cost about $1 million.
If voters give the nod, groundbreaking for a new high school would take place next year, and the new school would open for the 2019-20 school year.
Open enrollment at the schools will be allowed for children of school-district employees and for students whose parents have moved from the district but who want to continue their educations in Sartell schools.
Tax impact
The Sartell-St. Stephen School District hired the Morris Leatherman Co. to do a survey of how school district residents feel about a bond issue.
The survey revealed most people in the district are very enthused about a new high school and other improvements and indicated they would be willing to pay more in taxes for such projects. Some respondents, however, said they would not be willing to pay higher taxes for a bond issue.
The following is a list, released by the school district, of how the $105.8-million bond would affect annual taxes for the 25-year payback period for the bond.
Residential
For a house valued at $150,000: An annual tax increase of about $212; $180,000: tax increase of $267; $200,000: tax increase of $304; $250,000: tax increase of $396; $300,000: tax increase of $488; $350,000: tax increase of $579; $400,000: tax increase of $671; and $500,000: tax increase of $841.
Commerical/Industrial:
$500,000: tax increase of $1,556; $1 million: tax increase of $3,239; $2.5 million: tax increase of $8,287; and $5 million: tax increase of $16,700.
Agriculture Homestead:
$423,000 (40 acres): tax increase of $442; $793,000 (80 acres): tax increase of $678; $1,263,000 (160 acres): tax increase of $1,149; and $2,383,00 (320 acres): tax increase of $2,169.
