Johnston School Board Continues to Mull Options After Failed Bond Referendum

Plans for future facilities in the Johnston school district are expected to be settled by the end of the year.

The Johnston school board last week continued its discussion on how to proceed with facilities after a failed bond referendum in September.

Superintendent Clay Guthmiller discussed the comments and suggestions the district received from patrons though community meetings and an online survey.

The top issues to come from the comments surrounded:

• Cost
• Design of the building
• Communications and awareness
• Location and traffic

"Even people that voted no talked about the need for a new high school," Guthmiller told the board. "The general thing, they aren't against the schools or a new school, they understand the issues, but think it came back to the first two things (cost and design)."

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Board members discussed ways to better communicate with the public, such as hiring a public relations specialist, if a bond issue were to be put to voters in the future.

Board president Mike Farrell suggested bringing the campaign to a grassroots level, similar to that employed by the city that won passage of the public safety measure in August 2011.

"It's one of those things that we kind of live it," Farrell said of the board being well versed in plans. "We need to get folks out there, people out there willing to knock on doors. I think we need to go back and revisit some of those points, as well."

Board member John Dutcher shared apprehension about proceeding with another bond referendum in April or June 2013.

"As a board member there were still pieces of information we were finding out," he said. "I don't think we allowed ourselves adequate time to road test the materials."

Guthmiller said he understood Dutcher's concerns but the bond options were more appropriate in April or June.

"Nothing's going away in terms of needs," he said.

The board also discussed three options for possible facility plans.

Option 1: Proceed with the current plan for a new high school - with modifications, renovations to the current high school to house eighth- and ninth-grade students, renovations to the current middle school to house Wallace Elementary and an all-district preschool and renovate Wallace for other district needs.

Option 2: Additions and renovations to Johnston Middle School, Wallace Elementary and Johnston High School and the building of a sixth elementary school. Additional upgrades included for fiber and athletics and activities.

Option 3: Move forward with a 9-12 grade campus high school including additions to Johnston High School, building a new sixth- to eighth-grade middle school, build a sixth elementary school and renovate/add on to Wallace. Additional upgrades included for fiber and athletics and activities.

Guthmiller discussed several possible revisions to the current plan for a new high school:

• Increase square footage of classrooms/academic areas
• Reduction of square footage of large collaborative and atrium areas
• Re‐design for better supervision of students
• Increase size of media center
• Two‐story academic wing structure
• Design to accommodate smaller learning communities, grade levels or houses
• Better access and security
• Increased proximity of specific programs to others
• Revised exterior design

Guthmiller said he believes a decision needs to be made by the board at the Dec. 10 meeting in order to move forward.

The board will continue discussion on how to reconfigure the proposal or move forward with another option at the Nov. 19 board meeting.

For additional stories on the Johnston School District bond issue and facility plans see past coverage:

• More Details Sought as Community Discusses Failed Johnston School Bond Issue
• How Should Johnston School District Proceed After Failed Bond Issue?
• Johnston Board Discusses Steps After Bond Failure
• $51-Million Bond Issue Fails in Johnston