Demarest School District Referendum Is this the right plan?

Demarest School DistrictReferendum

Is this the right plan?

SCHOOL POPULATION

19992000

20012002

20032004

20052006

20072008

20092010

20112012

20130

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Demarest Student Population

Total Enrollment:DMSLLECRS

19992000

20012002

20032004

20052006

20072008

20092010

20112012

20130

50

100

150

200

Total Sq Ft / Student

Total Sq Ft / Student

Student to Teacher Ratio

20042005200620072008200920102011201220130

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Elementary Student/Teacher Ra-tioMiddle School Student/Teacher Ratio

4 NEW CLASSROOMSLuther Lee Elementary

1) Small Group Instruction

• LLE strength from Ad Hoc report:

– Excellent support services enhance opportunities for special needs and identified students.

– SGI/Special Education programs are offered in full size classrooms

– District should consider designing special education rooms to better meet the needs of the students.

2) Differentiated Learning

• Pulling out by ability group is not differentiation

• It utilizes all types of learners in one classroom

• Additional classrooms are not needed

(Scholastic’s definition: http://bit.ly/IFwevO)

2) Differentiation Ends Ability Grouping

“Rather than achieving its purported goal – to tailor instruction to the diverse needs of students – [ability grouping] has, over decades of extensive research, been repeatedly found to be harmful to students enrolled in lower tracks and to provide no significant advantages for higher-tracked students”

-National Education Policy Center (http://bit.ly/1u5ViMz)

No programs have been identified that would require additional space for STEM education in LLE.

Next Generation Science Standards promote:- Collaboration in heterogeneous grouping- Combining of math and science instructionhttp://www.nextgenscience.org/

3) Introduction to STEM

2) Differentiated Learning3) Introduction to STEM

Group Philosophy

BOE and Superintendent Happens in a dedicated classroom.

Demarest Resident,Brian FaehndrichK-12 Science Supervisor at nearby Westwood Regional School District

Integrated within current classroom settings.

4) Language and Learning Disabled

Recalculated LLD Projected Costs

Item How Many

Cost

Teachers 1 $67,500Aides 4 $62,800Support Services Specialist 0.5 $33,740Proportion of Capital Improvement Not Including Interest

1 $30,000

TOTAL $194,040NET SAVINGS $45,960

LLE Expansion ScorecardRoom Justifiable Reason

Small Group Instruction No Ad Hoc Report states not needed.

Differentiated Learning No Can happen in classrooms with coordination

STEM No Can happen in regular classroom.Alternative program undefined.

Language Learning Disabled Yes Cost savings

Overall Result No Benefit to cost ratio at worse: insufficient

at best: undefined

$6 MILLION NEW GYMDemarest Middle School

DMS Expansion Scorecard – Gym RelatedItem Worthwhile

ReasonResponse

Students lose about 15% of gymtimes due to the gym being used for assemblies and presentations.

No •Percentage can be reduced by going outside Sept – Nov and April – June.• Students have gym only ¾ of the year.• Students lose other instructional time

that don’t require new facility builds.Enhance physical education program such as Project Adventure Games

Partial •Valid but very expensive reason.

Improved lifelong health & wellness programs such as yoga on a daily basis

No •Can be accomplished without a $6 million gym

Enhances MS interscholastic program

No • The $6 million equivalent at LLE is good enough

DMS Expansion Scorecard – SMART Space

Item Worthwhile Reason

Response

Opportunity to expand engineering and STEM activities such as roller coaster construction or robotics.

Partial •Quantify demand.•Who will facilitate?•What instructional time will be

replaced?Increased room for S.M.A.R.T. SPACE

Partial •Quantify demand.•Who will facilitate.•What instructional time is being

replaced?Provides for expansion of music (use of stage) and theater arts activities such as drama elective courses

No Ad Hoc report states DMS has “Excellent art and music facilities”.

Creates space for a student art gallery

No

DMS Expansion Scorecard – Other

Item Worthwhile Reason

Response

Allows for repurposing of old gym No

Provides space for large group programs, team teaching, cross curricular instruction and academic competitions.

No •Need to quantify why existing gym, cafeteria and media center cannot handle the projected demand.

Enhance the community recreation programs

No • First use school funds to address educational needs. •Community demand needs to be

quantified by BOE to justify.

DMS Expansion Scorecard TallyArea Score

Gym Related 1 Partial / 3 No

SMART Space Related 2 Partial / 2 No

Other 0 Partial / 3 No

Total: 3 Partial / 8 No

DMS Impactful Improvements

• Classroom storage and casework upgraded to enhance teaching and learning activities.

• Classroom lighting upgraded for aesthetics and energy savings.

• Continue science room upgrades.

• Media Center expansion to support 21st century media literacy applications.

DMS Maintain Existing Infrastructure

• Replace plumbing fixtures in 1948 wing• Replace vinyl asbestos floor tiles (VAT)• Masonry repairs in 1912 areaway• Window repairs in 1956 wing• Replace exterior and interior doors• Replace phone system• Upgrade temperature controls• Resurface the parking lot

Upgrade Existing DMS Gym

• Install new bleachers• Install new sound system• Install adjustable backboards

OPERATIONAL COSTSState Imposed 2% Tax Levy

Utility Cost per Square FootItem Value

2013 Electric & Natural Gas Cost ($153,454 + 72,447)

$225,901

CRS, LLE, DMS Total Sq. Feet 138,945 sq feet

Cost per square foot $1.63 per sq ft

30% efficient factor applied to new construction

$1.14 per sq ft

Utility Cost IncreaseItem Value

Utility Cost Per Square Foot $1.14 per sq ft

New Construction Sq. Feet(gym 12,000 + LLE 5,100)

17,100 sq feet

Total Annual Utility Increase $19,494 per year

TAX IMPACT

Tax ImpactHome Owner 20 year cost

Laura Gross $9,841

BOE Member Total $104,291

BOE Member Low End $6,155

BOE Member High End $37,036

BOE Member Average $14,900

CONCLUSION