Kiva K-8 Task Force Meeting
Location: SUSD District Office
Purpose: Speak with David Peterson, SUSD Facility Planning and Construction, regarding feasibility of a K-8 option at Kiva
In Attendance: Lisa Leathers-Cox, Joe Campodall’Orto,
Amy Anton
Lisa explained to David Peterson that the Kiva Site Council
had authorized the formation of a Task Force to investigate
the feasibility of a K-8 model at Kiva. She stated that the
purpose of the meeting was to gain insight into feasibility
and what a realistic time frame would be. Mr. Peterson said
that August 2009 was impossible but a realistic goal would
be August 2010. In order to meet the goal of a K-8 at Kiva
by 2010, Mr. Peterson said that the Task Force must
accomplish the following things:
- Create a comprehensive plan to present to the SUSD Governing Board by November 2009. The plan would have to be presented to the Board by November 2009 because at that time the District would be in the midst of determining the school calendar and staffing. This would also allow enough time to get information out to parents.
- Mr. Peterson said that the first step was to develop a comprehensive educational plan because, “Instruction drives construction.” He felt that the Board could not look at Facility options for Kiva without knowing what the definitive educational program would look like.
- Mr. Peterson recommended that the plan include how many additional kids were anticipated and historical numbers regarding where Kiva kids go and where additional students might come from.
- Mr. Peterson also recommended that the plan include the mechanism by which enrollment would be determined. IE: How would the school determine which children to admit and what system would be put in place if there was more demand for spots than capacity.
- Mr. Peterson said that the plan should include a
“big picture” plan for the facility and a determination of
how the school could phase and grow into a fully enrolled K-8.
Lisa asked Mr. Peterson about the possibility of using portables and said that the preliminary estimate from the Task Force was that Kiva would need four class rooms for 7th grade for the 2010 school year, four additional class rooms for 8th grade in 2011, and possibly two rooms for science labs. Mr. Peterson said this was realistic, but the key would be finances and where the money would come from. Mr. Peterson told Lisa that the Task Force could raise private money to pay for the “Portable Phase” of the plan. He said that the other financing option was to hold a bond election.
- Mr. Peterson explained that to expedite getting portables on campus and meet the goal of a 7th grade by 2010, there would need to be a grass-roots fundraising effort. The monies would have to be donated to SUSD and would in turn be gifted back to Kiva in the form of the portables.
- Mr. Peterson explained that the funds would have to be “in hand” prior to a plan being approved, and used Cheyenne Traditional School as an example. He relayed that Cheyenne attempted to raise funds to build a gymnasium but fell far short of the fundraising goal. He explained that before a contract is approved, monies must be in hand so that the District is not on the hook for the contract. The plan at Cheyenne died on the vine. Mr. Peterson used Chaparral High School as a model of a successful private fundraising effort. A private parent group raised the funds to donate to the District for athletic field improvements.
Lisa asked Mr. Peterson what type of preliminary work would have to be researched and done regarding infrastructure, especially sewer and plumbing requirements, before portables could be placed on campus. Mr. Peterson explained that the District is ultimately responsible for the facility and would want to partner on the front-end work. He re-emphasized that the District would want a definitive plan in place regarding the K-8 program model as a first step.
- Mr. Peterson said it was possible to put portables on the back end of campus near the tennis courts and felt it would not be a big deal to temporarily take a tennis court out if needed.
- Mr. Peterson emphasized that the placement of portables should be decided according to the current footprint and future expansion plans. Future expansion might include two story buildings. You don’t want to place portables where buildings might go.
- Mr. Peterson re-emphasized the importance of understanding the educational plan in order to make the best facility decisions.
Mr. Peterson explained the time line and process to get portables on campus. He said that the district has architects on a five year rotation and felt it would not be difficult to work with the Town of Paradise Valley.
- The District would hire one company to both manufacture the portables and do the underground and prep work while the units were being built. He explained that this type of “one stop shopping” was the most efficient.
- Once a manufacturer was assigned, it would be a six to seven month process. This would include approval from the Office of Manufactured Housing and the Fire Marshall.
- Lisa asked if there were portables from within the District that could be moved to Kiva. Mr. Peterson said that most of them were over 20 years old and in poor condition and felt that would not be a good option.
- Lisa asked whether sinks were needed in the portables. Mr. Peterson said that sinks were needed in primary classes and science labs primarily. He said that including a sink was not a big deal.
- Mr. Peterson agreed to pull the site drawings for Kiva and do a preliminary layout to see what would be the most logical plan.
- Once a comprehensive facility plan was in place, Mr. Peterson said that the District would develop the building specs and manage the bidding process. Mr. Peterson said that the job of the Task Force was to develop the educational program and do the necessary fundraising for the “Portable Phase,” and then let the District make the facilities happen.
Lisa asked Mr. Peterson what the biggest challenge would be to overcome. He answered that it would be money and timing. Joe asked Mr. Peterson about the possibility of federal stimulus money being used and he answered that the District has been working towards obtaining federal money to help create more energy efficient buildings. Mr. Peterson relayed that he has had engineers look at a number of issues at Kiva and would like to see the entire facility upgraded and made more energy efficient.
Mr. Peterson also explained what would be involved in raising money through a bond election and how Kiva could access those funds for their facility.
- To pass a bond, it must be clearly stated what the money would pay for. Ninety percent of the funds must be used according to what was stated in the bond election. There is a ten percent leeway where the funds could be used for discretionary purposes. Mr. Peterson used the example of the Coronado track. As built, it was an eight lane track which meant that it could not be used for competition. There was leftover bond money after the completion of the Coronado remodel and expansion due to cost savings. The remaining ten percent of the bond money was used to create a nine lane track, making it usable for competition and comparable to all other tracks in the district.
- Mr. Peterson stressed the importance of doing what is promised with the bond money in order to maintain voter trust and SUSD credibility.
- Bond elections may only be held in November. Mr. Peterson explained that if a bond election was held in November 2010, building construction could start in the summer of 2011. The first phase would take approximately one year. By 2012, Kiva could have its first bricks and mortar student occupied buildings.
- Mr. Peterson explained that some constituents think that it is a bad time to go for a bond because of the economy. He feels this is not true. During a down economy labor and materials are less expensive, construction costs are cheaper, and additional construction creates needed jobs.
Lisa asked for an estimated figure that would be necessary for the “Portable Phase” of the project. Mr. Peterson estimated $400,000. Lisa asked what the option would be if we could not raise the funds privately. Mr. Peterson explained that the portables could be put into a Masters Facility plan and become part of a bond election. This would mean that a seventh grade at Kiva in 2010 would not be feasible.
- Mr. Peterson also discussed the possibility of using “Adjacent Ways Tax Dollars” to help fund permanent improvements including utility infrastructure. This could possibly off-set some of the costs of the “Portable Phase.”
- If the possibility exists that a new sewer line, lift station, or other permanent improvements might be needed for our K-8 goal, and installed so that it can be used for all future expansions at Kiva, then those monies will come from the “district improvements fund”, and not necessarily be part of our needed financial package.
Lisa expressed to Mr. Peterson that the Task Force was concerned with how the District would fund additional teachers for seventh and eighth grade.
- Mr. Peterson answered, “Staffing funding follows children.” If Kiva had the necessary enrollment, the District would fund the teachers. The District hires teachers according to enrollment projections.
- Mr. Peterson said that enrollment projections could be obtained by looking at the staffing models at other K-8 schools in the district.
- Mr. Peterson further explained that part of the educational model should consider the number of Highly Qualified teachers necessary and for what subjects they would be required, such as English and Math.
- Mr. Peterson explained that an additional concern would be staffing for highly performing students. He used the example that some eighth grade students take High School level math and speculated about the possibility of using a Saguaro math teacher for those children.
Mr. Peterson agreed to review the notes of the April 22, 2009 meeting and share them with the Learning Leadership Team to solicit their feedback. Mr. Peterson said that the Blue Ribbon Advisory Council has had discussions about additional K-8 models in the District along with other facility options. Mr. Peterson said that a successful $190 million bond election would ensure that the needs of every elementary and middle school within the district would be met.
Notes Submitted by: Amy Anton
April 22, 2009
