Bond Issue: April 5, 2016

Posted on by

(This page will be updated often)

On April 5, 2016, the members of the school board and administration will ask voters to support a $7.5 million bond issue. Construction of classrooms is necessary due to the continued growth of the Southern Boone County School District.

Residential construction in Ashland and Hartsburg has increased the number of students attending the school district. On average, the annual growth in student enrollment has been approximately 2.39% (this is a very conservative rate of growth, the district has experienced 9.2% growth comparing enrollment from 2011 to 2016). This year 50 new students have enrolled for a total of 1,598 students.

Student Enrollment

Past, Present and Projected Enrollment
2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
Primary 327 347 343 375 377 386 395 404 413 423
Elementary 324 339 352 341 374 382 391 400 409 419
Middle School 348 344 350 364 360 368 376 385 394 403
High School 451 477 466 468 487 498 510 522 534 548
Total 1450 1507 1511 1548 1598 1634 1672 1711 1750 1793
Assuming approximately 2.39% growth within each building. This is a very conservative growth rate.

The property directly behind the Primary and Elementary, on Liberty Lane, is currently under development with 124 new homes. Additional property near these schools have also been platted for residential construction. Successful passage of the bond issue will allow for additional instructional space for students kindergarten through fifth grade and ninth grade through twelfth grade.

The bond issue will cost tax payers 15 cents per $100.00 of taxed assessed value of real estate and personal property. Below is a breakdown of the cost of the 7.5 million dollar bond issue:

  • A family with $150,000.00 of combined personal and real estate property will pay an additional $42.75.
  • A family with $175,000.00 of combined personal and real estate property will pay an additional $49.88
  • A family with $200,000.00 of combined personal and real estate property will pay an additional $57.00
  • A family with $250,000.00 of combined personal and real estate property will pay an additional $71.25

Important Voting Dates to Remember:

  • March 9, 2016 is the last day to register to vote and be able to vote during the April 5, 2016 election
  • April 2, 2016 is the last day to request an absentee ballot
  • April 4, 2016 is the last day to vote with an absentee ballot
  • April 5, 2016 is the election day

Presentation Dates:

  • March 1, 2016 at the Ashland Board of Aldermen meeting  7:00pm
  • March 6, 2016 at the PTA Meeting at 6:30 in High School Library
  • March 9, 2016 at the Hartsburg Town Council Meeting at 7:00pm
  • March 16, 2016 at the Ashland Senior Center for a noon presentation
  • March 22, 2016 at the Ashland Public Library from 6:00 to 7:00pm
  • March 26, 2016 at the Ashland Optimist Club at 7:15am
  • March 28, 2016 at the Hartsburg Grand from 6:00 to 6:30
  • April 4, 2016 at the Middle School Annex from 6:30 to 7:30

Scope of Construction

Promotional Slide Show: Southern Boone County R-1 2-26

Tri-Fold Handout: Bond Issue Handout

Primary School

The Primary school is at full capacity with classroom student to teacher ratios increasing annually. The average classroom size is 21 students per teacher, kindergarten through second grade. The bond issue will allow for eight new classrooms and a full sized gymnasium with a stage.  The Primary building shares a small gym with the cafeteria and it has become increasingly difficult for the district to meet physical education requirements set by the state.  Time necessary to serve daily meals reduces the amount of physical education instruction offered to each grade level.  The addition of the stage will allow the Primary to host student events at the south campus for both the Elementary and Primary classes. Elementary and Primary student programs must be hosted at the middle school or high school. The new gym will have a wood floor and will be used for extra curricular activities when not being utilized for daily instruction. The Primary and Elementary schools’ multipurpose rooms are not large enough to facilitate grade level programs. The demand by the community for gym utilization continues to grow every year. The additional gym space will be utilized by the community when not in use by the school.

The eight new classrooms will allow the district to expand from 6 sections per grade level to 7 sections per grade level as needed, a classroom for students with special needs, and allow the preschool program and Parents as Teachers to relocate to the Primary School.

The projected completion is fall of 2017.

  • Construction Plans and Floor Layout for the New Primary Classrooms and Gym
  • Primary

Elementary School

The $7.5 million dollar bond issue will allow for four additional classrooms.

Four new classrooms will allow each grade level the potential to expand from 6 sections per grade level to 7 sections per grade level, as growth in enrollment allows, and an additional classroom for students with special needs.  Current elementary teacher to student ratios are 1 to 22 on average with 1 to 23 being the largest class. The projected completion is summer of 2017.

  • Construction Plans and Floor Layout for the New Elementary Classrooms (the floor plans show two bathroom facilities, these will not be included in the construction)
  • Elementary Plans

High School

Weight lifting is one of the high schools most popular classes and is taught six periods a day. The Athletic Booster Club constructed a new weight room for the school over the summer of 2014. The booster club designed the current weight room to be converted to locker rooms for our football, soccer (boy and girls) and track and field programs. Plumbing for the future locker rooms was included when the slab was poured.  Relocating the weight room to the high school will keep students indoors and help maintain a safe learning environment. The new addition will allow construction of locker rooms in the future.

Past Bond Issues

2008 Bond Issue Information (completed)

2006 Bond Issue Information (completed)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *