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News
School growth panel may get new tasks : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, Illinois School growth panel may get new tasks
| School chief: Board may ask committee to consider more options
| by Lyle R. Rolfe
| 11/26/2009
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The charge given members of the Oswego School District 308 School Board Advisory Committee for Overcrowding Management and Facilities, may change, they were told at their meeting last week.
At that meeting, Todd Colvin, assistant superintendent for administrative services, and group leader, presented the committee with more information and asked them to study it before their next meeting on Dec. 8.
He added that he believes school board may decide to expand the areas of study for the committee. The board will be meeting in a workshop session on Monday, Dec. 7.
Committee members also heard from Superintendent Dr. Daniel O'Donnell who said he appreciated them serving on the committee.
"As you deal with some of these issues and information, you'll know what the board has been struggling with," he said.
"Where do we go, how do we deal with what's coming at us, and what's the best solution for our children? I appreciate your taking the time to do this," he said, noting that feedback from the community is very important in looking at the options and helping find a way to resolve the problems over the next few years.
O'Donnell said school board members plan to discuss asking the committee to look for more options to the problems in addition to those discussed at previous meetings.
The question originally given to the group was: When Oswego High School and Oswego East High School are at capacity, what plans should be put in place until the third high school is built?
Committee members were given four possibilities for solving the problem at their previous meeting and told that their final recommendation should be to "utilize the district's existing facilities, be fiscally responsible to taxpayers, and provide the best possible academic and social experience for their students."
At last week's meeting Colvin discussed enrollment projections through the 2014-15 school year.
He said by 2014-15 they are estimating a total enrollment of 17,704
which includes a high school enrollment of 4,930.
"These estimates are based on not one new person moving into the district. It's obvious why we are having these discussions because in 2014-15 without one new person in the district, our high schools will be at capacity," he added.
With 3.5 percent growth at every grade level, which he said is considered a conservative number, the total is estimated to be 21,027 and the high schools at 5,855.
The total enrollment with five percent growth, which he said is more realistic, is estimated at 22,595 and 6,292 for the high schools. _
Colvin said the growth was as high as 13.5 percent a few years ago with the lowest at 4.5 percent during that time.
The actual numbers for this year as of Oct. 1 shows a total of 15,789 students with the high school numbers at 4,124._
Explain need for demographic study
Doug Gallois, executive director of construction services, explained why Mike Schoppe was hired to do a demographic study for the district.
His study was reported in detail in the Ledge-Sentinel after it was presented to school board members earlier this month.
Schoppe described what was done but noted that he could not predict when and where new schools will be needed because this would be based on development when it takes place throughout the district.
He said the district covers 70-square miles and encompasses 45,000 acres, extending about one mile south of Caton Farm Road .
He said they are studying how development is being planned by the communities of Oswego, Montgomery, Plainfield, Joliet and Aurora so they can determine what impact it will have on student enrollments in the district. They divided the district into ten planning areas to help predict future growth, he said.
Schoppe noted that only one-third of the district is developed.
He said Aurora and Montgomery are built out with residential development. "But, we've got a lot to go in Oswego and a whole lot in Plainfield and Joliet. Half of the land is in Oswego and the other half in Plainfield and Joliet," he said.
The area now has 25,239 residential units of all types and at build out in 20-40 years, based on the comprehensive plans of the communities could add an additional 52,000 residential units into the district for a total of 77,000.
He said they now have 0.63 students for each residential unit in the district, but it is more difficult to predict how many more will come. This was based on taking the current 15,789 students and dividing it by the numbers of residences.
Using this formula he said they came up with just under 49,000 students when the area is built out in 20-40 years, depending on how quickly development takes place.
Schoppe said 53 percent of students today are in elementary school, 22 percent in junior high and 25 percent in high school. At build out he is predicting 26,000 elementary students, 11,000 junior high students and 12,000 high school students.
Based on these figures they will need a total of 28-31 elementary, seven to eight junior highs, and four to five high schools. He showed a map with possible school locations in each planning area, but noted that this could change depending on how areas are developed and the densities of homes per acre.
He said the district will be working with the communities to be sure schools are located where they are needed. Sites for elementary and junior highs are usually contributed by developers as part of the school contribution ordinances in each community.
He also discussed finances noting that a new elementary school would cost just under $13 million, a junior high $28 million and a high school $105 million, all based on the most recent building in the district.
Gallois said the study gives them three benchmarks that must be watched-0.63 children per home, 88 percent of the tax base is residential, and every new home coming into the district must have a value that will support the building of a school.
"Those three items have to be monitored every year with regard to the villages that really control our destiny," he said.
Committee members also received a brief explanation of the bonding process that would be required to finance new schools and how the bonds would be retired.
The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8 in the multi-purpose room at Traughber Junior High, 570 Colchester in Oswego. The session is open to the public.
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