Summertime

Posted:  June 4, 2013

Summer is upon us and the well-deserved break for all is finally here.  Clarification must be given in order not to feed into the age old myth that educators “get the summer off”.  For most, summer is a time of self-education in preparation for the coming years.  Whether it is picking up a college class, attending a workshop or conference or just preparing for the upcoming year, I have yet to meet an educator that just walks away for a couple of months. 

As this redefined break unfolds, it is fair to say we enter into a time warp as it seems the time between the first day and mid-August is all but non-existent.  Work at the District level will be focused on preparing for next year.  From the routine physical efforts of cleaning, completing projects, and maintaining the grounds to the major tasks that can only be done in the summer, our crews have their work cut out for them.  At a quick glance the layperson would picture in their mind a busy three months’ worth of work, however the actual work days available for all projects this summer is 56.  The major projects slated for this summer are; seven modular classrooms, one at Jim Darcy and six at Lincoln; Front Street renovation project; the completion of the ADA projects at Jefferson, Hawthorne, Broadwater and Bryant; and boiler work at several schools.

As facility improvement continues to play a large role in our District, the Board and administration will be preparing for a Building Reserve Levy to be run this fall.  The purpose of this levy is to provide the funds necessary for the physical maintenance of all our facilities.  From roofs to modular classrooms to boilers and even safety upgrades, all these projects are funded through the Building Reserve Levy.  State law dictates this levy must be approved by the voters and can only be in effect for a limited number of years.  Our current levy was for seven years with this upcoming school year being the last.  This fall the District will ask for a continuation of this levy for an additional 10 years.  If the Building Reserve Levy passes in the fall, the levy will provide a seamless transition between the existing levy and the next one, as one ends the next will begin. 

In addition to the Building Reserve Levy, the ongoing Educational Planning process is coming to fruition as the Board of Trustees is aiming for a bond election next spring.  The Bond will address major capital improvements, such as new buildings and complete renovations projects, whereas the Building Reserve Levy provides funds for the maintenance of our facilities.  These two funding sources - the Building Reserve Levy and Bond - are at first glance similar, but in reality are vastly different.  If we think of these two in relation to our own homes, the Building Reserve Levy would pay for those necessary projects typically seen on the “honey-do” list, such as painting the house, replacing a window or putting on a screen door.  In contrast the Bond is your mortgage.  So, as maintenance of facilities is an ongoing expense, whether it is a house or the schools, both funds are necessary as we maintain existing facilities and build for the future. 

As we end this year and prepare for the next, there are many challenges ahead of us as we seek to inform and partner with the community to create a vision for the future.  Having said this, I would argue the most important task for this summer is preparing the best educational environment for our students for next year.  Whether that is our teachers continuing their education or our maintenance crews completing their list of projects; all are important as our students deserve the staff’s full attention come this fall. 

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