Vote ‘Yes’ for progress at Interstate 35 Schools

At a meeting 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at Internet 35 Community School, members of the I-35 Facility Expansion Committee talked about the school’s current limitations and the opportunities students would gain by building out. The current school suffers from outdated, overgrown music and art rooms, career training classrooms with a lack of space, overcrowded lunchrooms, too few areas for activities to practice and then some.

“Currently, elementary school students start eating lunch at 10:40 in the morning,” said Pat Thornburgh facility committee member, “due to space constraints down at that end.”

The project, expected to cost $12 to $15 million, includes a new auditorium, Career and Technical Education (CTE) building, fine arts center, an enlarged elementary cafeteria, an enlarged high school commons, a redesigned main entry, air conditioning and a bus shed and adjoining maintenance shop.

A vote on a proposed $7 million bond to help fund the project takes place noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at three polling locations: Lions Club in New Virginia, St. Charles Parish in St. Charles and the Truro Public Library. Roughly 15 members of the community showed up to learn more about the project – and to voice their concerns.

One local landowner questioned the scope of the project. For the administration, it boils down to giving more kids more opportunities now, before construction costs get any higher and before more kids miss out.

“My background is in athletics,” said Fiene. “We have really good athletic facilities. Right now, there isn’t a stage anywhere in this building. Those kids deserve the same opportunities.”

Questions were also raised considering the project’s future. What happens if more money is needed? What happens if plans change? If the levy is approved, small adjustments can be made down the road, according to committee members, but every portion of the project listed in the levy must be completed. The amount of the bond is capped at $7 million as well. The school can’t return later and ask the public for extra funds.

Residents to see no change in taxes

An existing levy set to retire in June 2017 currently costs tax payers $2.23 per $1000 in property value per year.

“That’s about a tank or two of gas per year,” said Fiene.

If the bond is approved, that levy will simply continue. Property owners won’t see any increase in taxes over what they’ve been paying for the last 15 years, according to the superintendent. The remaining funds will come from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education, penny Iowa sales tax fund.

Career training first

The design of the building and the careful arranging that will go into keeping kids in class while work is completed requires the CTE facilities to be renovated first. Administrators visited a school in Rock Valley with an innovative 10,000 square-foot CTE space, complete with mobile workstations.

“For the most part, everything in their shop is on casters, so everything can be moved around,” said High School principal Steve Kaster. “Everything can be moved around. When a new project comes in, they can adjust everything in a very short amount of time.”

Even the ductwork can be modified to fit project needs. In contrast, the current I-35 CTE spaces daily set up and tear down of essential supplies, when they can be used for projects at all.

“[While visiting Rock Valley,] iIt doesn’t seem like 10,000 square feet of space,” said Kaster, “until you see a 12 by 10 shed being built in the middle of the facility. Our 12 by 16 is sitting outside in the cold weather. Our kids go outside and build that every single day.”

The expanded spaces would allow students in CTE programs like woodworking and auto shop to have better options for hands-on skill development, though they aren’t expected to be an exact duplicate of those found in Rock Valley.

““Our overall goal is helping kids be college and career ready,” said Kaster, “providing an opportunity for kids who are career bound.”

Given the current layout of I 35 – and the statewide push toward CTE programs – renovations in those rooms would begin first. Completion on the new 9,360 square space is expected to be completed by January of 2018. The fine arts center is slated for completion by spring of 2018. The 600-seat auditorium in 2018-19.

The meeting wrapped up with Thornburgh encouraging attendees to talk with their neighbors, and especially to get out and vote, noon to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 7, at one of three voting stations in New Virginia, St. Charles or Truro. More information is available at http://interstate35-facilities-committee.weebly.com/.