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Post by title1parent on Jul 26, 2011 5:36:18 GMT -5
Oswego won’t build third high school
By JENNETTE STURGES jsturges@stmedianetwork.com
July 25, 2011
The Oswego Board of Education has opted not to build a third high school. This property at the southeast corner of Plainfield and Ridge roads was a proposed site for the school.
Oswego will stay a two-high-school town. The Oswego Board of Education voted 5-1 Monday night to terminate all planning and design for the construction of a third high school, effectively closing that option for the foreseeable future. What board members haven’t decided on is what to do now.
“We have multiple options,” said Board President Bill Walsh. “We have options to expand other high schools, we have redistricting, expanding one high school. Utilizing additional facilities. All of these could be possible alternatives to keep taxes down.” Taxes, ultimately, became the overarching theme of the night.
“We need to have people who can afford to live in Oswego, and I don’t think we can afford a third high school,” said trustee Laurie Pasteris. The meeting grew heated when one parent interrupted to ask the board for answers, and Walsh threatened to shut down the meeting.
But other parents and community members just expressed frustration.
“My tax bill is $14,000. It’s embarrassing,” said Jeanine Zuppo, who brought her son, a student at Bednarcik Junior High who has an early lunch due to crowding.
“Kids should not be having lunch at 10:30 in the morning. It’s overcrowded. He deserves to know that my husband’s and my investments have paid off, and by the end of this meeting, I hope you can look at him and your decisions will do him and his friends justice.” “This is 2011, not 2006. Times have changed drastically since that referendum has passed,” said resident Leland Hoffer, who said the April election constituted a mandate from the voters to halt the third high school.
“What do you want, do you want education, or do you want buildings?”
Construction on a third high school, slated for a site in Plainfield, has been on hold since April, when new School Board President Bill Walsh, and new trustees Alison Swanson and Brent Lightfoot, were elected. Seeking less expensive alternatives, the newly seated board received estimates on building additions to Oswego East High ($39 million) and Oswego High ($33 to $42 million, depending on upgrades) schools earlier this summer.
That may be the silver lining for at least some of Oswego’s students. With additions to OHS and OEHS looking more likely, students may still see new amenities like a synthetic turf football field, more seating in the gym, or a pool. But more building is only one of many options that the board will look at to address crowding. After the vote, board members directed the administration to gather information on when Murphy Junior High and Old Traughber could be opened, either as junior high schools or freshman centers.
Traughber is home to the Oswego Senior Center, the YMCA and the Opportunity School, all under contract to the School District. Board members also inquired about value-engineering additions to OHS and OEHS: asking administrators and architects to go back to the drawing board with a slimmed down, no-frills budget that maximizes classroom space only.
The already-proposed additions to the two high schools would create space for another 1,600 students. According to enrollment projections that assume no newcomers moving into the district, the additions would reach capacity in 2022.
The third high school would have added space for 2,400 students, reaching capacity in 2030. While the high school crowding issue is still up in the air, the School Board still has a number of decisions to make as it approaches November, the deadline by which it must sell bonds to finance any new construction projects around the district.
Administrators will be seeking approval for a new elementary school, maintenance facility and transportation facility, all of which must be approved by the board’s first meeting in September.
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Post by title1parent on Aug 4, 2011 5:24:56 GMT -5
Oswego forum focuses on additions at high schools
By Jenette Sturges
jsturges@stmedianetwork.com
Last Modified: Aug 4, 2011 02:16AM OSWEGO — While the matter of Oswego’s third high school might be settled, what to do about overcrowding in the district is not.
Following the Oswego School Board’s vote last week to abandon plans for a third high school, board members asked district administrators to come back with more information on the options that remain. On Thursday, the board will hold a workshop to investigate those other possibilities.
Still on the table are additions to one or both of the district’s existing high schools. An addition to Oswego East would cost about $39 million, and an addition to Oswego High School would cost between $33 million and $42 million, depending on which amenities the board would like to add.
At a June board meeting, however, board members said district administration and architects should have begun by engineering the projects to a smaller figure.
“Given the way the economy is and my desire not to raise taxes, we’ve got to start at the bottom versus large, all-encompassing plans,” said board member Brent Lightfoot.
Board members also wanted more information on the possibility of opening other buildings in the district as freshman centers. Those options would include the Oswego 308 Center, formerly Traughber Junior High, which is now home to the YMCA, the Oswego Senior Center and Opportunity School; and Murphy Junior High, which has previously been slated for transitional space into the third high school and then as a junior high.
Whichever option School Board members choose, they face a deadline. The School Board’s authority to issue up to $450 million in bonds to finance construction projects in the district expires in November. A decision on what to build or renovate must be made by the first meeting of September. That includes the additions, but also a new elementary school, a transportation center and a maintenance center.
In addition to discussing student capacity, the board will also receive an update on construction projects in the district.
The School Board workshop will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the community room of Oswego East High School, 1525 Harvey Road. The workshop will include a public forum.
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Copyright © 2011 — Sun-Times Media, LLC
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Post by title1parent on Aug 6, 2011 6:12:14 GMT -5
Oswego struggles with cost of expanding schools
By Jenette Sturges
jsturges@stmedianetwork.com
Last Modified: Aug 5, 2011 08:26PM When one runs the numbers, $25 million will buy 14 classrooms and two gyms.
And in Oswego’s two high schools, which are filling rapidly as young students age through the district, that’s simply not enough room to grow.
After deciding July 25 that the district ought not to spend $105 million to build a third high school, board members convened for a workshop Thursday night to address capacity in the district.
Here are options they had considered as of press time Thursday:
Building additions
Earlier this summer, the architectural firms that have designed Oswego High School and Oswego East High School presented options for additions that would address core classroom space as well as larger common spaces such as gyms, auditoriums and cafeterias that would have to expand to make some breathing room.
Those estimates came in at $39 million for OEHS and between $33 million and $42 million for OHS, depending on the amenities the board decides to include. Those would have included a synthetic turf field at both schools and a pool at OHS.
$25 million additions
But board members sent the architects back to the board to cost-engineer the additions with a $25 million figure for each. The result was less capacity than the 3,200 students each school will need to hold in the near future and stripped-down amenities. No pool for OHS. Small auditoriums, fewer gyms, and with a still-crowded building. Students would fit, but schedules would not be as flexible, possibly forcing students into electives they aren’t interested in.
Classes likely would be held in spaces not intended for them, as is already the case at the two schools.
“This year, Oswego East was forced into having 113 core classes offered in non-core classrooms,” said Carla Johnson, executive director of teaching and learning. “I observed a math class offered in a technology lab. Can you do it? Absolutely you can. It can be done. Can is one thing; should is another.”
Freshman centers
Turning the Oswego 308 Center and Murphy Junior High into freshman centers provides its own challenges, both philosophical and logistical.
“There’s a real disconnect between the ninth-graders,” said Johnson. Freshmen taking higher-level classes, and sophomores still taking freshman classes, would have to be bused.
And there’s no space.
“Murphy’s going to be needed as a junior high. Bednarcik is busting at the seams,” said Johnson. “That leaves Old Traughber. GOAL is going to need a home, Hands on Science, Opportunity School.”
Murphy Junior High is being used now for the GOAL alternative program and likely will be opened as a junior high next year. The Oswego 308 Center, known widely as Old Traughber, houses the Oswego Senior Center and the YMCA, which both have contracts with the district and bring in revenue. It also houses the district’s technology center, copy center and the Opportunity School, a public therapeutic day school for children with disabilities.
Renovating the Oswego 308 Center would cost at least $10 million.
“That building’s bringing in revenue. It’s not ideal school space. It’s being used by the community. We’re using 60 percent of it ourselves,” said Superintendent Dan O’Donnell. “Realistically speaking, that building’s best utilized the way it’s being used now.”
Two board members, Mike Scaramuzzi and Lynn Cullick, already have come out in favor of the additions.
“It’s a 10-plus year expansion at half the cost,” said Scaramuzzi. “That’s the reason I voted against the third high school, because I know that’s going to add to the tax bill, but it’s going to add half to the tax bill than the third high school would have.”
But not all board members were convinced.
“I’m still struggling with the fact that we’ve shut down every option but the expansions,” said Alison Swanson, who looked for ways to pinch pennies, from paring down optional items in some science labs, eliminating an elevator and building a junior high instead of a high school, to moving freshmen into the lower schools. “I see a lot of what we shouldn’t do and why we shouldn’t do it, but I don’t see what we should do.”
Meanwhile, time to make a decision is running out.
Should the board run out the clock and not make a decision by the first meeting of September, the district would unlikely be able to start any construction or renovation projects, as its bonding authority lapses in November.
The result would be serious overcrowding issues in the district as young families in Oswego age through the school system.
Already, 2,398 students are expected to show up for the first day of school later this month at Oswego High School, which has a maximum capacity of 2,400.
Four elementary schools held more students than their buildings’ capacity last year: Churchill, Lakewood Creek, The Wheatlands and Wolf’s Crossing.
In addition to making a decision on building more high school capacity, the board must also decide whether to build an additional elementary school, a transportation center and a maintenance facility by the bond sale deadline.
The Oswego School Board will meet to discuss other capital projects for the district on Monday at 7 p.m. in the community room of Oswego East High School, 1525 Harvey Road.
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Copyright © 2011 — Sun-Times Media, LLC
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Post by southsidesignmaker on Aug 7, 2011 15:07:34 GMT -5
It is a shame that Oswego could not wait just a few more years. As the south end of Naperville matures there may be a real possibility that NVHS freshman center is folded into the main building with Crone middle school moved back to 95th street and the 111th st. building available (located just inside Naperville southern most reaches at 248th and 111th). What a perfect building to put 800 to a 1000 students. If anyone from Oswego has concerns over the location and busing issues I am sure our fine district can offer some pointers on how to bus students 5-7 miles to get to the allotted school.
Oswego district already has a middle school vacant in the Grande Park subdivision (along with a record # of foreclosures and and sky high real estate taxes). Make this building a Freshman center and call it a day.
Problem solved for a lot less Ca$h. I am sure the school population will be maxing out shortly in the Oswego area with folks stuck in their non appreciating homes for the next several decades.
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doc
Frosh
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Post by doc on Aug 7, 2011 22:33:02 GMT -5
It is a shame that Oswego could not wait just a few more years. As the south end of Naperville matures there may be a real possibility that NVHS freshman center is folded into the main building with Crone middle school moved back to 95th street and the 111th st. building available (located just inside Naperville southern most reaches at 248th and 111th). What a perfect building to put 800 to a 1000 students. If anyone from Oswego has concerns over the location and busing issues I am sure our fine district can offer some pointers on how to bus students 5-7 miles to get to the allotted school. Oswego district already has a middle school vacant in the Grande Park subdivision (along with a record # of foreclosures and and sky high real estate taxes). Make this building a Freshman center and call it a day. Problem solved for a lot less Ca$h. I am sure the school population will be maxing out shortly in the Oswego area with folks stuck in their non appreciating homes for the next several decades. yep- at least they recovered in time not to have their SB bury them in debt for the next 20 years for something with a much more efficient solution - I tip my hat to the new members that came in, in time to revisit what had been 'decided' and re-evaluated. And you're right SSSM- there will be building stock available here - in the near future Yes , we have a bus guru who can make 9 miles seem like a walker -- and for no more transportation expense. Voila !
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Post by title1parent on Aug 8, 2011 7:52:45 GMT -5
Oswego School Board settles on two additions
By Jenette Sturges
jsturges@stmedianetwork.com
Last Modified: Aug 8, 2011 02:11AM OSWEGO — After a 3-hour forum last week, Oswego School Board members made up their minds to build two new additions to accommodate students.
Getting to that point took lectures from architects and administrators on how much space a school needs to function well.
“We are using unintended spaces for classes right now,” said Jeff Craig, principal of Oswego East High School. “To say we’re OK is a mischaracterization. I’ve had to put kids into a former storage area. It cost me $1,000 just to get it squared away with the fire marshal. We’re talking English as a Second Language, reading dynamics classes. They can’t be at full capacity.”
In July, architects brought the board proposals for expansions to bring both high schools to a maximum capacity of 3,200 students, at a cost of $39 million for OEHS and $33 million to $42 million for OHS.
But board members balked at the price tag and sent the architects and administrators back to the drawing board with a $25 million limit for each school.
Last week, architects from ATS&R and Kluber presented their $25 million plans for Oswego High and Oswego East. Each school would get an additional 14 core classrooms and two gym or fieldhouse spaces, along with some small alterations throughout — more lockers and enough space in the auditoriums to fit one whole class.
But even with the 28 new classrooms, the schools would not be big enough to accommodate all the expected students, with one architect unable to achieve 3,200 capacity and the other using each of the classrooms 94 percent of the time.
That’s about the same utilization rate the schools have today — which limits students in taking electives or Advanced Placement classes; where they take them; and how much flexibility teachers have to pull students out for intervention, which was one of the goals of switching to a Flex 8 schedule this fall. Rooms would also have to be used for classes other than originally intended. Already, for example, Oswego East has held an advanced math course in its music lab among keyboards and computers.
So the architects will return to the drawing board again and return to the board with plans for additions with more elbow room, with cost estimates for buildings with classroom utilization rates between 88 and 92 percent.
Still, the schools’ new wings will likely have a “recession chic” look.
During the discussion, board members picked at individual amenities among the plans looking for savings. Among their proposals were cutting an elevator for a savings of $57,000, and stripping down some of the new science labs of their gas lines, turning them into slightly cheaper biology/physics-specific labs.
Board members discussed the possibility of building new freshmen centers adjacent to the existing high schools, but eliminated the possibility because of the increased operating costs associated with having additional buildings.
Other options considered included turning junior highs into 6th-9th grade centers, split shifts and year-round school — all rejected.
The Oswego School Board will have its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in the community room of Oswego East High School, 1525 Harvey Road.
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Copyright © 2011 — Sun-Times Media, LLC
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Post by southsidesignmaker on Aug 8, 2011 12:12:42 GMT -5
Doc, Though your point is well made regarding additional debt, I beg to differ regarding the idea that our district should have gone this route. Take a look at a few properties recently sold in the Oswego district: www.zillow.com/homedetails/26528-Rustling-Birch-Way-Plainfield-IL-60585/68140367_zpid/#{scid=hdp-site-map-bubble-address} www.zillow.com/homedetails/26414-Rustling-Birch-Way-Plainfield-IL-60585/79998190_zpid/#{scid=hdp-site-map-bubble-address}www.zillow.com/homedetails/26429-Silverleaf-Dr-Plainfield-IL-60585/68140289_zpid/#{scid=hdp-site-map-bubble-address}When comparing sale price to total taxes paid, the new owner is paying 3% plus in taxes. The total tax rate can only go up as many areas in the Oswego district continue to seek a bottom price. With little if any new commercial / retail development taking place (as population estimates stagnate) the total tax rate for average homeowners could go up substantially in comparison to actual marketable values. In this environment the new board's decision is almost made for them. The only one's to complain would be the homeowners most affected by not building a third high school. The same group by the way that would have the most to gain regarding property values (if the third high school was built in their back yard). Personally I am pleased with our district's decision to build the third high school (location withstanding). As you know I am no fan of freshman centers as a long term arrangement for our school district. Long term I suspect our district area will pull out of this housing depreciation cycle faster than some of our neighbors to the west and south because of our superior tax base. Families purchasing homes will still look for strong districts that are not overcrowded, the smart homeowners will also look for a strong commercial / retail base to share the education costs.
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doc
Frosh
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Post by doc on Aug 9, 2011 9:11:16 GMT -5
Doc, Though your point is well made regarding additional debt, I beg to differ regarding the idea that our district should have gone this route. Take a look at a few properties recently sold in the Oswego district: www.zillow.com/homedetails/26528-Rustling-Birch-Way-Plainfield-IL-60585/68140367_zpid/#{scid=hdp-site-map-bubble-address} www.zillow.com/homedetails/26414-Rustling-Birch-Way-Plainfield-IL-60585/79998190_zpid/#{scid=hdp-site-map-bubble-address}www.zillow.com/homedetails/26429-Silverleaf-Dr-Plainfield-IL-60585/68140289_zpid/#{scid=hdp-site-map-bubble-address}When comparing sale price to total taxes paid, the new owner is paying 3% plus in taxes. The total tax rate can only go up as many areas in the Oswego district continue to seek a bottom price. With little if any new commercial / retail development taking place (as population estimates stagnate) the total tax rate for average homeowners could go up substantially in comparison to actual marketable values. In this environment the new board's decision is almost made for them. The only one's to complain would be the homeowners most affected by not building a third high school. The same group by the way that would have the most to gain regarding property values (if the third high school was built in their back yard). Personally I am pleased with our district's decision to build the third high school (location withstanding). As you know I am no fan of freshman centers as a long term arrangement for our school district. Long term I suspect our district area will pull out of this housing depreciation cycle faster than some of our neighbors to the west and south because of our superior tax base. Families purchasing homes will still look for strong districts that are not overcrowded, the smart homeowners will also look for a strong commercial / retail base to share the education costs. so you woulds rather an additiona $120M ( at least ) in debt ? Everyone is entitled to their opinion but the 'new wqorld' economy is not going away anything in the foreseeable future..and an additional $120M to pay off is that last thing anyone needs. freshman centers are a matter of taste - was just wierd that many who were against them because kids have to get assimilated twice - had no issue moving WVHS kids in the class of 2012 to 2 different schools. " The same group by the way that would have the most to gain regarding property values (if the third high school was built in their back yard). " sound familiar ?? now in reality I don't think anyone is being helped anytime soon by where anything is- even though there certainly was some of that involved - "we're getting ours after building the district" nonsense. As the rest of the bond issues all come to fruition- and mark my works another referendum as soon as Curt thinks he has any chance of getting it thru..the cost here is not going to be attracive either. And for my area the 3rd HS location is no sellling point- what continues to baffle me is I know you are a strict believer in "living within ones means" as you use this many times and many ways- EXCEPT for the 3rd HS situation. I just hope that somehow you are right and that people wanting to buy a house won't care that their HS is 8-9 miles away- just so they have lots of elbow room, Middle school at the other end of town and hope that Watts in not combined with Owen before that- as 1 more year and I look to leave 204 as my school days are over. The economy not helping plans for this...nor will additional referndums for even more tax cost.
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Post by gatordog on Aug 9, 2011 13:46:46 GMT -5
Oswego School Board settles on two additions .... back to the drawing board with a $25 million limit for each school. Last week, architects from ATS&R and Kluber presented their $25 million plans for Oswego High and Oswego East. Each school would get an additional 14 core classrooms and two gym or fieldhouse spaces, along with some small alterations throughout — more lockers and enough space in the auditoriums to fit one whole class. But even with the 28 new classrooms, the schools would not be big enough to accommodate all the expected students, with one architect unable to achieve 3,200 capacity and the other using each of the classrooms 94 percent of the time. So 308 wants to use additions, at each HS, to raise school capacity from 2400 to 3200 at each HS. So at the $25 mil per school limit, this gets them 14 classrooms each, that would mean 800 students/14 rooms = 57 students per class. (Since that is not realistic, it must assume loading up even further all the other classrooms). How well will this work? No wonder, as mentioned below, the architects must "go back to dwg board" again. Interesting and detailed list above of concrete and specific things that happen when a building is run at 100% or more of designed-capacity. Building infrastructure provides flexiblity. Lack of the infrastruction means less flexiblity--which impacts student programs. Intersting to me in that they indicated that 100% ultilization rate is not optimal, and not what you should plan for or "buy". I understand that because obviously main stream courses will have one utilization rate, while "fringe courses" (AP on one end, English as 2nd Language on other) will have much different utilization. Main point here is it looks like the $25 mil x 2 addition option doesnt meet there needs. I guess they will wait and see what the architects come back with on next iteration. So from reading above, this seems to be where they are at: $50 mil plan on table not quite working out, in another redesign phase. Rejected options: Remote freshman cntrs or building conversions, Original architects plan of $33-40 mil expansion at each school (too expensive). $105 mil new HS (voters elected new board majority)
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Post by southsidesignmaker on Aug 10, 2011 12:27:49 GMT -5
Doc,
I am not a fan of stop gap measures like Freshman Centers and high school / college campuses like frontier to handle high school crowding. The district bit the bullit and the vast majority of taxpayers voted for the third high school back in "the old economy".
Personally I have factored in my real estate taxes going up 3-4 times the rate of inflation (4-6% increases), for the next 5-6 years. That is why when I look at my driveway full of "paid for cars", it is easier to rest peacefully at night. I chalk up high taxes to part of "living the dream here in Napertucky". It is just one more cost that needs to be budgeted for... A Cost of Doing Business.
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