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Open House Info Boards

Recuerde utilizar la herramienta de traducción en la parte superior de la página para poder ver la información en español. Descargar los tableros de tamaño completo en español.

Quý vị có thể sử dụng nút Translate ở đầu trang để chọn xem thông tin bằng tiếng Việt. Tải các bảng bằng tiếng Việt với kích thước đầy đủ xuống.

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Welcome

  • Please Sign-In
  • Learn About District Needs and Solutions
  • Have Your Questions Answered
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Addressing Real Needs

The Needs

Most of our school buildings are more than 60 years old and no longer meet the needs of today's students.

The bond proposal will help by:

  • Addressing critical infrastructure issues such as roofs, windows, heating and cooling systems, electrical, and plumbing.
  • Begin updating classrooms and labs to allow for best practices in teaching and learning.
  • Establishing an early childhood education center and a new construction trades FutureReady center to provide up-to-date career training.
  • Strengthening safety and security systems.
  • Improving accessibility for students with physical disabilities.
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Addressing Real Needs

With declining enrollment, aging facilities and changing best practices in education, it is time to right-size our buildings. Doing so involves consolidation of schools, relocation of some programs into better and more up-to-date facilities, expanding and rebuilding some schools, and closing others.

The Need

This proposal allows our schools to provide better learning environments for students and save taxpayers millions of dollars in the long run.

Strong schools foster strong communities.

Up-to-date schools can improve neighborhoods, attract families and businesses and protect homeowner property values. The proposed improvements will provide updated educational spaces to give kids the skills needed for future success and inject millions of dollars into the local economy.

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The Solution

Due to smart financial planning, we can fund $450 million in essential projects with zero change to the district's tax rate. The rate will remain one of the lowest in the region.

This board provides an anticipated plan for how students may transition from current buildings to updated facilities. This plan is subject to change following the completion of the redistricting process that will accompany the implementation of the facility master plan. As part of this process, the district's attendance boundaries will be revised, which may result in changes to the schools assigned to specific addresses. School closures are expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2029, with Sowers Alternative High School potentially transitioning as early as 2026.

With this bond issue, we will be able to:

Early Childhood

  • Little Early Childhood Center: Closing
    • New Early Childhood Center at the current site of Chester Lewis Academic Learning Center
    • Re-Opened by Fall 2030

Elementary

  • Adams Elementary School: Rebuilt
    • Re-Opened by Fall 2028
  • Black Elementary School: Rebuilt
    • Welcomes some students from OK
    • Re-Opened by Fall 2027
  • Irving Elementary School: Rebuilt
    • Welcomes some students from L'Ouverture and Woodland
    • Re-Opened by Fall 2028
  • Caldwell Elementary School: Rebuilt
    • Re-Opened by Fall 2028
  • McLean Elementary School: Rebuilt
    • Welcomes some students from Pleasant Valley, Woodland and OK
    • Re-Opened by Fall 2028
  • OK Elementary School: Closing
    • Rebuilt Black Elementary School
    • Rebuilt McLean Elementary School
  • L'Ouverture Elementary School: Closing
    • Rebuilt Irving Elementary School
    • Spaght Elementary School (built in 2012)
    • Mueller Elementary School (built in 2011)
  • Woodland Elementary School: Closing
    • Rebuilt Irving Elementary School
    • Rebuilt McLean Elementary School
  • Pleasant Valley Elementary School: Closing
    • Ortiz Elementary School (built in 2011)
    • Rebuilt McLean Elementary School
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The Solution

This board provides an anticipated plan for how students may transition from current buildings to updated facilities. This plan is subject to change following the completion of the redistricting process that will accompany the implementation of the facility master plan. As part of this process, the district's attendance boundaries will be revised, which may result in changes to the schools assigned to specific addresses. School closures are expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2029, with Sowers Alternative High School potentially transitioning as early as 2026.

K-8 Conversion

  • Cessna Elementary School: Expanding
    • Convert to Kindergarten-8th Grade School
    • Fully Re-Opened Fall 2027
  • Isely Elementary School
    • Convert to Kindergarten-8th Grade School
    • Transition to begin Fall 2025

Note: Students attending these elementary schools will stay for middle school following construction.

Middle School

  • Truesdell Middle School: Rebuilt
    • Some students will attend Cessna K-8 School instead of attending Truesdell
    • Fully Re-Opened Fall 2029
  • Coleman Middle School: Rebuilt
    • Fully Re-Opened Fall 2028

High School

  • Future Ready Center for Construction Trades at East High School: Built
    • Welcomes students from throughout the district
    • Fully Re-Opened Fall 2027

Special Programs

  • Wells Alternative Middle School: Expanding
    • Expanded to accommodate students from Wells and Sowers Alternative High School
    • Fully Re-Opened Fall 2026
  • Sowers Alternative High School: Closing
    • Program moving to Wells Alternative Middle School, which will be expanded to accommodate both schools.
    • Moved Fall 2026
  • Buildings that house Chester Lewis Academic Center, Dunbar Support Center - Multilingual Education Services, Focht Instructional Support Center, Education Imagine Academy, and Gateway Alternative Center: Closing
    • All programs will remain in the district and be relocated to other locations, including the repurposed Coleman building.
    • Moved Late 2028
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A Smart Plan

More efficient use of tax dollars

By retiring four schools and rebuilding seven others, the district will be able to:

  • Reallocate millions of dollars from the facility maintenance budget
  • Better address long-term facility needs across the district
  • Provide schools that can accommodate current teaching and learning methods

An increased capital budget would allow the district to efficiently address repairs and maintenance, taking care of roofs, windows, heating and cooling needs, and electrical and plumbing systems. This protects our community's investment in school buildings.

The district would be able to install air conditioning in all middle school and high school gyms that currently lack it.

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The Finances

Zero-Rate-Change Bond Issue

Because the district is retiring previous bond debt, these improvements can be made with zero change to the district’s tax rate.

When a school district pays off existing bonds, new bonds can be issued without increasing the mill levy so the rate homeowners pay does not change. This is a lot like how you can refinance your home for large-scale home improvements without changing your monthly mortgage payment.

Learn more at usd259.org/bond25

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Updated Learning Spaces

If the bond issue is approved, many of our classrooms, labs and other learning spaces will be updated to meet the needs of students now and in the future.

While final plans for updating WPS buildings are in development, these images are examples of updated schools and classrooms in other districts.

  • The three photos on the top row are examples of elementary school spaces.
  • The first two photos from the left on the bottom row are examples of accessible, collaborative learning spaces.
  • The third and fourth photos from the left on the bottom row are examples of career and job training spaces.
OK Elementary Display Board

OK Elementary

Biggest Challenges

•    Aging infrastructure such as roof, windows, heating and cooling system, electrical, and plumbing.
•    $10 million in immediate maintenance needs, another $6 million projected in next five years.
•    Lack of space in classrooms for best practices in learning and teaching.
•    Shared gym and cafeteria limit student opportunities.
•    Need for improved accessibility to provide the same opportunities for all students.
•    All classrooms are undersized and lack space for labs and hands-on learning opportunities.
•    Smaller student population limits the range of programs and opportunities available compared to students at other WPS schools.

In the Fall of 2027, students will be welcomed to a rebuilt Black Elementary and a rebuilt McLean Elementary.

  • All students will transition to a newly built elementary school.
  • The timing for the retirement of OK Elementary will be finalized by Fall of 2026.
  • Families and staff will be provided with information about their new school by Fall of 2026.

 

* This board provides an anticipated plan for how students may transition from current buildings to updated facilities. This plan is subject to change following the completion of the redistricting process that will accompany the implementation of the facility master plan. As part of this process, the district's attendance boundaries will be revised, which may result in changes to the schools assigned to specific addresses. School closures are expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2029, with Sowers Alternative High School potentially transitioning as early as 2026.

Pleasant Valley Elementary Display Board

Pleasant Valley Elementary

Biggest Challenges:

  • Aging infrastructure such as roof, windows, heating and cooling system, electrical, and plumbing.
  • Recently, investments were made to address emergency sewer issues, but they did not significantly reduce the building's overall needs.
  • $10 million in immediate maintenance needs, another $6 million projected in next five years.
  • Lack of space in classrooms for best practices in learning and teaching.
  • Shared gym and cafeteria limit student opportunities.
  • All classrooms are undersized and lack space for labs and hands-on learning opportunities.

In 2028 students will be welcomed to nearby Ortiz Elementary (built 2011) and rebuilt McLean Elementary.

  • All students will transition to a newer elementary school building.
  • The timing for the retirement of Pleasant Valley Elementary will be finalized by Fall of 2026.
  • Families and staff will receive information about their new school by Fall of 2026.

 

* This board provides an anticipated plan for how students may transition from current buildings to updated facilities. This plan is subject to change following the completion of the redistricting process that will accompany the implementation of the facility master plan. As part of this process, the district's attendance boundaries will be revised, which may result in changes to the schools assigned to specific addresses. School closures are expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2029, with Sowers Alternative High School potentially transitioning as early as 2026.

L'Ouverture Elementary Display Board

L'Ouverture Elementary

Biggest Challenges:

  • $10 million in immediate maintenance needs, another $4 million projected in next five years.
  • Aging infrastructure such as roof, windows, heating and cooling system, electrical and plumbing.
  • Smaller student population limits the range of programs and opportunities available compared to students at other WPS schools.
  • Shared gym and cafeteria limit student opportunities.
  • Majority of students do not live near the school, but are bussed in for magnet programs.
  • All classrooms are undersized and lack space for labs and hands-on learning opportunities.
  • Based on current and expected future enrollment, one school is recommended for this area.

In Fall of 2028 students will be welcomed to a nearby rebuilt Irving Elementary, Spaght Elementary (Built in 2012) and Mueller Elementary (Built in 2011).

  • All students will transition to a newer elementary school building.
  • Irving is on a large parcel of land in a more densely populated area, making it better suited for a rebuilt school.
  • The timing for the retirement of L'Ouverture Elementary will be finalized by Fall of 2026.
  • Families and staff will receive information about their new school by Fall of 2026.

 

* This board provides an anticipated plan for how students may transition from current buildings to updated facilities. This plan is subject to change following the completion of the redistricting process that will accompany the implementation of the facility master plan. As part of this process, the district's attendance boundaries will be revised, which may result in changes to the schools assigned to specific addresses. School closures are expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2029, with Sowers Alternative High School potentially transitioning as early as 2026.

 

Woodland Elementary Display Board

Woodland Elementary

Biggest Challenges

•    Aging infrastructure such as roof, windows, heating and cooling system, electrical, and plumbing.
•    $4 million in immediate maintenance needs, another $5 million projected in next five years.
•    Lack of space in classrooms for best practices in learning and teaching.
•    Shared gym and cafeteria limit student opportunities.
•    No elevator access to the second floor limiting accessibility and the ability to provide the same opportunities for all students.
•    All classrooms are undersized and lack space for labs and hands-on learning opportunities.
•    Building layout presents safety and security challenges.

In Fall of 2028 students will be welcomed to a rebuilt Irving Elementary and rebuilt McLean Elementary.

  • All students will transition to a newly built elementary school.
  • Irving is on a large parcel of land in a more densely populated area, making it better suited for a rebuilt school.
  • The timing for the retirement of Woodland Elementary will be finalized by Fall of 2026.
  • Families and staff will receive information about their new school by Fall of 2026.

 

* This board provides an anticipated plan for how students may transition from current buildings to updated facilities. This plan is subject to change following the completion of the redistricting process that will accompany the implementation of the facility master plan. As part of this process, the district's attendance boundaries will be revised, which may result in changes to the schools assigned to specific addresses. School closures are expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by 2029, with Sowers Alternative High School potentially transitioning as early as 2026.