Facilities Efficiency Task Force Executive Summary
The Facilities Efficiency Task Force examined a large volume of data, and considered forty possible solutions. The task force recommends shifting to a K-6 elementary school configuration, moving the entire Fairview Elementary School population plus a portion of the Franklin Elementary School population, including the self-contained special education program, to Roosevelt Middle School, and consolidating all 7th and 8th grade students at Stevens Middle School (see 2005-06 FETF Final Report Appendix H for “Option D”, and other appendices for the additional five options finally considered) as the most favored option of the final six options considered.
This option was selected by the task force because it saved enough money to stabilize the district’s financial shortfall due to future declining enrollment, its K-6 elementary configuration offers the least number of school transitions for students, it keeps together in one building most families with two or more elementary-aged students, it maintains reasonable neighborhood elementary school balance across the district, and it offers flexibility for the long-range facilities committee to do long-range planning work. Like all other options, it requires significant re-boundary work to balance school size, and requires the movement of Choice Community School onto the PAHS campus.
All task force recommendations presume that future Maintenance & Operations Levies pass; an annual loss of more than $6 million due to a levy failure would necessitate the closure of even more schools.
The task force suggests that the school board gather community input in time to make a decision about whether to accept this option for implementation, or another option or combination of options, no later than December 2006. This permits the community to know the outcome prior to a February 2007 Maintenance & Operations Levy election. The task force also suggests methods of gathering community input on its recommendation.
The cost of preparing schools for relocation of students and staff involves both operational and capital expenses. The task force used only the capital expenses of making space available for classroom occupancy. Moving costs, contract-required relocation pay, and related costs were assumed to be the same for all options, except Option A (which was not selected for other reasons). The task force did not estimate costs of renovations necessary for relocation of special education students. In preparing this recommendation, the task force reviewed Policy 9400 (Appendix N.) and determined that this report satisfied the requirements of that policy.
Questions about facilities or budget items may be sent by e-mail to the Port Angeles School District at: budget_questions@pasd.wednet.edu. Budget suggestions may be sent by e-mail to: budget_suggestions@pasd.wednet.edu. Written comments may be submitted via U.S. Mail to:
Superintendent’s Office
Port Angeles School District
216 East Fourth Street
Port Angeles, WA 98362