Planning for the Future of Rock Valley Community Schools

What are the district’s needs?

The Rock Valley Community Schools have served students and our community for generations. However, the current facility has a series of space and compliance needs that we must address now.

 

Our K-12 facility is currently well beyond its intended capacity, with teachers and staff using every available space to educate students and store equipment and supplies. These space constraints limit students from receiving adequate, future-ready career and college readiness learning opportunities.

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These needs stem largely from the fact that K-12 enrollment in Rock Valley Community School District is up 43% since voters approved the bond issue for the new elementary school in 2005. Another contributing factor are the unique space needs tied to special populations including Special Education, TAG, ESL/ELL, At-Risk, and Title 1 programs.

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By acting now, we can address these needs and ensure our school continues to provide excellent learning environments for students and our community both now and in the future.

 

What would happen if these needs are not addressed?

If we do not address these needs, our students will continue to be without the space, facilities, and resources they need to receive the best-possible educational experience. 

 

We believe the time has come to address our facility needs to ensure students continue to have access to the resources and spaces they need to be successful in the Rock Valley schools. We look to make wise investments in our facilities to ensure a quality educational setting and to support the community’s continued growth and prosperity. 

 

What is the proposed solution to address these needs?

The School Board has placed a bond issue question on the ballot for November 7, 2023. If the question receives at least 60% approval, the district will move forward with a new high school addition onto the current school. This would include 20+ new classrooms.

 

The addition would include 20+ new classrooms for the high school. Fifth graders would move from the elementary to create a 5th-8th grade middle school concept. This concept utilizes former high school space & allows for efficient 5th-8th grade staffing. K-4 elementary would then be able to utilize former 5th grade classrooms to address space challenges due to enrollment growth.

 

A new multipurpose gym will also allow our school to better comply with state physical activity requirements.  (Note that the gym will not be paid for by this proposed bond, but instead will be financed through revenues from the statewide one-cent sales tax.)

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What is the estimated cost of the total project?

Building costs and materials have seen significant fluctuations in recent years. As a result, the total cost for this project has risen. The new high school project, which encompasses parking, new construction, design costs, site work, and furnishing, is estimated to range from $26 million to $33 million. The maximum bond for the project being voted on is $25 million.

 

The new multipurpose gym is estimated to account for approximately $5,000,000 of the aforementioned estimate. The School Board plans to use revenues from the statewide one-cent sales tax to fund this portion of the project.

 

Should bids on new construction be favorable, the board may consider addressing needs in the 50+ year-old section of the school building. Potential areas for updates might include the original restrooms, original science labs, existing auditorium, classrooms, and HVAC and other systems.

 

What type of building is being proposed?

The proposed design adheres to traditional school construction. It will feature a two-story classroom wing on the north side of the addition. Spaces such as a lunchroom/commons area, a multipurpose gym, and band and vocal rooms dedicated to the high school will occupy the space between the north classroom wing and the existing building. The addition will largely match the existing building in terms of brick exterior, standard classrooms, and hallway layouts.

 

What is the estimated timeline for the project if the bond passes?

If the bond is approved, the district would immediately commence the design stage, estimated to span 7-10 months. During this period, detailed layout and design decisions will be finalized. Following this, the project would be open for bids, with construction potentially beginning in fall 2024.

 

The optimal timeline targets the new high school space to be ready by the beginning of the 2026-27 school year. However, depending on the progress pace, this may need to be extended to January 2027.

 

Why are we not proposing a new standalone high school?

The district already owns the required land and there are some cost benefits in opting for an attached building as opposed to a standalone structure. Furthermore, consolidating into one building yields additional savings and efficiencies in areas like staffing, maintenance, busing, and event management.

 

What are the current space constraints?

At this time, 18 staff members share classroom spaces during the day. Certain hallways and passages are also used for instructional/testing purposes. Other non-teaching staff and community service partners use shared spaces, which are not conducive to maintaining the privacy essential for positive student outcomes. Moreover, three former storage and utility rooms have been reassigned for instructional purposes. 

 

With the proposed project, the district intends to provide each staff member with a personal space, ensuring shared spaces only if it is educationally beneficial for students.

 

What purpose would a third multipurpose gym serve?

The proposed multipurpose gymnasium would provide the district with a dedicated physical education space for each school segment: elementary (K-4), middle school (5-8), and high school (9-12). With this, staff can tailor class schedules and instructional designs to each age group. Given that nearly 900 students currently share the two existing gymnasiums, this additional facility would be immensely beneficial.

 

The new gym may also enable adjustments to lunch periods for grades 5-12, incorporating time for recreation and exercise—something currently restricted by gym availability.

 

Another advantage is the potential reduction in early morning and late-night hours students spend at school for activities. Presently, students can be at school as early as 6:00 a.m. and as late as 9:00 p.m. The new facility could also allow the school to host larger music concerts, something currently limited by the existing infrastructure.

 

Is the proposed multipurpose gym part of this bond vote?

No. The new multipurpose gym will not be paid for by this proposed bond. The School Board will use revenues from the statewide one-cent sales tax to complete that portion of the project.

 

Was the community involved in creating this proposed solution?

Yes. Since the last vote in September 2022, a systematic review of the school and its needs was completed. This was led by a task force consisting of parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and community members. The task force has reviewed enrollment trends, population trends, staffing, and space utilization. The committee also reviewed alternate options to address facility needs.

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The task force concluded that facility needs and enrollment trends have not changed. The task force requested the School Board put forward a similar plan for the community’s consideration. It made a recommendation to the board in July 2023.
 
As a result of this process, the board has approved a bond issue that will appear on the ballot November 7, 2023.
 

Will community members get to vote on the proposed solution to the district's facilities needs?

Yes. The School Board has approved a bond issue question that will appear on the ballot Tuesday, November 7, 2023. 

 

How would an approved bond affect property taxes?

If voters approve the bond, property taxpayers would see an impact of $4.05 per year on every $1,000 of taxable property value (not assessed value). This would result in an increase of $14.41 per month (or $172.94 per year) on a home worth $100,000. The tax impact would be $5.03 per year on a median agricultural acre. Calculate your tax impact.

 

Per Iowa law, the bond issue must receive at least 60% voter approval to pass.

 

Although we continue to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, the district cannot address these needs through its operational budget alone. We must address these facility needs now, as the costs of doing so will only become more expensive in the future.

 

How is the property tax impact calculated?

Calculating the tax impact on a property can be a little complicated due to the state rollback and Homestead Credit. Below is a five-step process to provide some clarification: