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What are site determined projects?
Each D-11 school is receiving a certain amount of funding for “capital expenditures” that weren’t identified and funded in the Capital Plan at that school. These expenditures can be for construction, alterations, modifications or repairs to the physical plant, which includes the building, grounds and permanently installed equipment that costs at least $2,500 per project. Expenditures can also be for technology equipment and software and/or the maintenance of technology equipment and software that costs at least $1,000 per system. Schools are encouraged to pursue projects that demonstrate a relationship to improving student achievement.
Is there a process that must be followed to determine how the schools will spend the money?
Yes. Click here for site determined projects process / guidelines.
Click here for site determined projects approval form.
Are there limitations or restrictions on how these funds can be spent?
Yes. Click for site determined projects process / guidelines.
When will schools receive funding for their site determined improvement projects?
Funding for site determined improvement projects is available to schools as soon as projects have been approved. Click here for site determined projects approval form. Once a project is approved, the appropriate project manager and contracting officer will be notified of the approval and funding availability.
How much money will each school receive?
Click here for a list of site determined project funding by school.
Does funding vary from school to school?
Yes, site determined project funding varies from school to school based on a number of factors including school level, age of the facility, size of the facility, projected size of the student body and socio-economic character of the school.
How much input will schools have regarding construction projects at their schools?
Every school has been assigned a project manager who will be responsible for coordinating the projects at the school. Prior to commencing any project, the project manager will meet with the principal to talk about the details of the project and gather input.
Can a school choose to use an outside contractor to complete Capital Plan funded projects or do they have to use the D-11 Facilities Department?
All projects involving a D-11 physical plant must be coordinated with the Facilities Department and are subject to applicable District Acquisition Regulations as well as Facilities’ guidelines and specifications. Facilities can help with project planning and estimating. Schools are cautioned that bids or estimates from any contractors must be evaluated and approved by D-11’s Contracting Officers prior to any agreements being made.
Will there be “oversight” of school projects?
There are a number of levels of oversight for construction on school projects:
(1) D-11 Project Managers are responsible for ensuring that projects done at the sites are done well and within budget.
(2) Within the Facilities Department, existing craftsmen have been designated as Quality Assurance Evaluators to inspect the work that is done at the sites.
(3) The Director of Facilities oversees the entire Capital Program.
(4) The Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee, which consists of 48 community volunteers from across D-11, will meet on a monthly basis to evaluate the overall success of the Capital Program.
Will construction projects affect where D-11 will house summer school programs?
The location of D-11’s summer school programs is determined each year approximately six months prior to the start of summer school. There will be no changes in location due to construction projects for the summer of 2006.
School Capacity
With a new school being built in the northeast, will class sizes be reduced at Scott Elementary School?
Class size is determined by a host of factors; however, physical room size and teacher staffing have the biggest effect. Classroom sizes at Scott will not be affected by the Capital Plan, and teacher staffing will be based upon the standard staffing model that applies to all other schools.
Is the new northeast school projected to be filled to capacity right away?
The new northeast school is being designed for a 600-student capacity, which is also the expected additional need for this area. The boundary study will look at this school and its surrounding schools and neighborhoods and try to establish attendance areas that serve each of the schools equally following the guidelines set by the school board to keep schools at approximately 85% capacity. Under the District’s choice permits policy, other students may permit in to the degree that there is space available.
Should existing schools surrounding the new schools anticipate a reduction of enrollment?
In most cases we are adding capacity (the new schools) where the need already exists. Since we do not expect much more new development in these areas, the new schools should result in a redistribution of existing students.
Will Doherty be able to house more students after its renovation?
The Doherty addition is intended to address the overcrowding that already exists at the school, not to increase enrollment.
Boundary Questions:
How will the boundary areas for the new elementary schools be determined?
On February 8, 2006, the Board of Education approved guidelines for a limited Boundary Study to set the boundaries for the two new elementary schools. D-11 is not considering middle or high school boundaries in this study, at this time.
What schools will be affected by the district’s boundary study?
The schools that may be affected include:
Northeast- Carver, Fremont, Grant, Keller, King, Lincoln, Martinez, Penrose, Rudy and ScottSoutheast - Henry, Longfellow, Madison, Monroe, Roosevelt/Edison, Twain and Wilson
Will there be an opportunity for citizens and school personnel to give input on the boundary study?
Yes, a Boundary Advisory Committee started meeting in late March to help give input and guide D-11 through the boundary study. The committee includes representatives from the community, the staff, the police department, traffic and safety, the District Accountability Advisory Committee, the Mill Levy Override Committee and the Bond Oversight Committee.
What is the timeline for the boundary study?
March 23, 2006 First meeting of the Boundary Advisory Committee
April; 2006 Community meetings in all schools listed above
May; 2006 Mid-study progress report
August; 2006 Public hearings
September; 2006 Report to the Board of Education
October; 2006 Board of Education approval of the new boundaries
August; 2007 Opening of new schools
When was the last time D-11 underwent a boundary study?
D-11 underwent a boundary study in 1996. The Board of Education (BOE) voted on February 25, 1998 to adjust the boundaries for every level over three years as follows:
Elementary Schools - Fall 1998
Middle Schools - Fall 1999
High Schools - Fall 2000
If my child is currently "overflowed" and bused to another school and I want him to continue at this school even if there is space for him at a new school or another school. Will transportation still be provided?
The BOE will make a decision on this issue when it approves the boundary study recommendations, which it is projected to do in October 2006. Based on what the BOE approved in 1998, there will likely be a grandfather clause in the approved recommendations that allows any child going into 5th grade at an elementary school that is affected by the boundary changes to stay at the school they are in, however, transportation will not be provided. If an elementary student is in a grade other than 5th grade, that student will have to obtain a permit to continue attending that school.
Will Doherty receive a larger boundary area after the renovation ?
The boundary study does not include any high school attendance areas. The Doherty addition is intended to address the overcrowding that already exists at the school, not to increase enrollment.
When can we expect the Doherty addition to be completed?
The Doherty addition is projected to be complete in July of 2007.
When did the Capital Plan projects start, and when will they be completed?
Many Capital Plan Projects are currently in the design and planning stages. Construction began at a number of sites this summer (2006). Every Capital Plan Project is projected to be complete by September 2009. Click here for a timeline outlining the projects funded by the Capital Plan.
Enrollment Questions:
When will the district start enrolling students in the new schools?
Students will be enrolled in the new schools once the boundary study is approved by the Board of Education which is projected to happen in October 2006.
When will the district open the new schools to “permits” from students outside of the boundary area?
The principals of the new schools will decide when and if to open enrollment to permits. This decision will most likely be made after kindergarten registration in April 2007 and may be postponed until after the first day of school in the fall of 2007.
Are the new schools slated to have any “special” programs?
No, the new schools are not slated to have any special programs; however, after the boundaries are set and more is known about the needs of the students who will attend these schools, programs may be added to meet the needs of the students.
HR Questions
Will new staff be hired to assist in completing Capital Plan Projects?
Yes, in anticipation of the Capital Plan Projects, Facilities has filled several “sun-set” positions. These are planning and coordinating positions that will exist for the life of the construction program. Facilities will also hire outside contractors to complete construction projects. The outside contractors will be hired on a contract basis and will not be employees of D-11.
Have principals been hired for the new schools?
Yes, George Marin, formerly the principal at Penrose Elementary, has been assigned to the northeast school. Denise Rubio-Gurnett, formerly the principal at Steele Elementary, will head the southeast school.
When will the district start hiring staff for the new schools?
Once the principals are hired for the new schools, they will begin to interview staff for open positions. The staffing needs of the schools will not be known until the boundary study is approved by the BOE, which is projected to happen in October 2006.
Will new positions be created at Doherty?
New staff positions are not expected to be created at Doherty because the addition to that building is to accommodate the current student population.
Will positions at the new schools be open to staff members within the district?
Yes, current D-11 staff will be eligible to apply for positions at both new schools.
General Questions:
What precautions are the construction companies and the district taking to ensure the highest level of safety while construction commences in schools and neighborhoods?
The District’s Safety Manager is a part of the Program Management team. The Safety Manager and Project Managers will work together with our contractors to ensure that every safety precaution is taken. A majority of in-school projects will be completed during the summer when students are not in the building.
How will instruction be impacted by construction projects at the schools?
The Administrator of School Site Bond Projects / Boundaries will work with the Department of Instruction and the schools to lessen any impact the construction projects will have on what’s going on in the classroom. Construction projects will be scheduled with deference to important events such as CSAP testing.
How do the Capital Plan projects align with D-11’s Strategic Plan?
The Capital Plan projects support D-11’s Strategic Plan goals as follows:
Goal #1: Student Achievement – The physical learning environment in schools is known to be a major factor affecting learning -- the Capital Plan projects will improve the District’s school facilities and should positively impact student achievement.
Goal #2: Safety – The Capital Plan will eliminate known deficiencies that can impact safety of students, staff and the public.
Goal #4: Community – A Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee will be formed to represent the community and will communicate program progress with the community and stakeholders.
Goal #5: Effective and Efficient – The Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee will consider the effective and efficient use of the District’s assets and resources as it monitors the Capital Plan program execution.
Why are we building new schools when district-wide enrollment is declining?
D-11 covers over 70 square miles. There are schools within the district that are experiencing overcrowding. It is not reasonable, nor a good use of a student’s time, to bus students 45 minutes to an hour from where they live to a school that has room for them; therefore, new schools need to be built to serve students in those pockets of overcrowding.
What is the process for naming the new schools?
Click here to read BOE policy on naming facilities http://www.d11.org/boe/policies/ff.htm
When and how was the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee formed?
The Citizens' Oversight Committee was approved by the Board of Education on February 8, 2006, and consists of 46 community volunteers from across D-11 and is meeting on a monthly basis to be briefed on the progress of the Capital Plan Projects
What is the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee’s role?
The committee will monitor the Capital Plan program execution against the plan and report their observations and findings to the Board of Education (BOE), make reports on the progress of the program execution to the public at least annually, and make recommendations to the BOE for changes to the Capital Plan as needed.
Communication Questions
How will principals be kept up to date and receive specific information regarding projects at their schools?
Every school will be assigned a D-11 Project Manager who will act as a coordinator between the construction contractor, the Facilities Department and the school. Project managers will facilitate pre-construction meetings and keep principals and the Director of Facilities apprised of project progress.
