'09 Referendum

DECEMBER 8: A critical day for our students

We’re asking for your support to approve a referendum that will add new schools and prevent overcrowding.

NO TAX INCREASE WILL BE NEEDED!

Appoquinimink experienced strong growth this year enrolling nearly 400 new students. Over the course of the past three years, we have welcomed a total of 1,500 new learners to our district.

These numbers confirm our projections and emphasize the need to be prepared for what the future has in store. Without new buildings, we will exceed our current capacity in grades PK-5 by the fall of 2011 – just three years away!

But, thanks to a unique set of circumstances, we are able to ask our community for approval to build two new facilities and make much-needed renovations at four more locations – without increasing taxes.

A number of factors have made this possible:

$2.5 million in impact fees – formally referred to as “voluntary assessment” money – has been collected from developers and will be applied to the local cost of construction.
Our assessment base is growing. The new homes being built are helping to contribute toward the debt that was authorized in the 1980’s and 1990’s. They also contribute to the new construction.
We will be paying off some previously issued bonds and continue to pay down others, reducing our district’s debt.
The State of Delaware’s strong bond rating (Triple-A) allows us to borrow at relatively low rates.
We are managing our money very effectively and maximizing interest earnings.
The end result: NO TAX INCREASE!

On December 8, we are asking you to approve the following:

A new 330-student Early Childhood Center.
A new 840-student Elementary School.
A wing will be added at Olive B. Loss Elementary to replace the trailers currently in use, and we will expand the cafeteria and multi-purpose room. Older classrooms and the reception area at Townsend Elementary will be renovated to create more useable space and the HVAC system will be updated for energy efficiency.
A serving kitchen will be added at the Appoquinimink Early Childhood Center (built before full-day kindergarten became a reality) in order to make hot meals available to our four and five-year olds.
Finally, the stage at Everett Meredith Middle School will be updated so we no longer need to rent sound and light equipment to support performances at the school.
Included in the referendum is the purchase of a parcel of land – on Old State Road – which, over time, will house not only these two schools (Phase One) but could also accommodate future growth in the district.

How much will the construction cost?

The construction projects in the 2009 Referendum represent a $64,649,100.00 investment. The state has committed to fund the vast majority of these costs – a 75% share representing a $48,486,900.00 – through the sale of government bonds. District residents will fund the remaining 25% – representing an investment of $16,162,200 – locally. As explained above, this will be accomplished without increasing the local tax rate.

CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE

After funding is secured, we expect to complete these 2009 Referendum Projects on the following schedule:

New 330-student Early Childhood Center	Fall 2012
New 840-student Elementary School	Fall 2012
Meredith Middle School Auditorium	Fall 2011
Appoquinimink Early Childhood Center Kitchen Addition	Fall 2012
Olive B. Loss Elementary Addition and Cafeteria Expansion	Fall 2013
Townsend Elementary Renovations	Fall 2013

CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS

Conceptual drawings have been developed to help you envision the new campus on Old State Road; both the projects that will be completed in the 2009 Referendum (Phase One) and those that will be added at a future date as enrollment continues to climb and more schools are needed (Phase Two). Click on the links at the end of this story to view.

Phase Two of the site’s development would be addressed by a separate referendum tentatively scheduled for 2012/13. Included at that time would be a request to develop a middle school, a high school, an aquatics center (currently we have no pools for our swim teams) and an environmental center. The last two buildings would be used by ALL our students and offer access to the public as well. If funded in the 2012/13 Referendum, we estimate Phase Two Projects would be completed by 2015.

Note: Addition/renovation projects at Olive B. Loss Elementary, Townsend Elementary, the Appoquinimink Early Childhood Center Kitchen, and the Everett Meredith Middle Auditorium will be designed to complement each building’s existing design and architecture and blend seamlessly with the community.

OUR MASTER PLAN

Thanks to the work of our Board, staff, community volunteers and land planning experts, we were able to develop an innovative master plan for the 272-acre site that takes into account both our immediate needs and anticipated growth through the year 2016.

The entrance to the site is a divided four-lane tree-lined boulevard. The boulevard leads to a traffic circle, which connects the inner and outer loops around the site. Separation of traffic was both a safety and practical issue; the outer loop serves buses, staff, and students, while the inner loop is dedicated to visitors and parent drop-off. Brick pavers designate visitor parking, drop-off areas and crosswalks.

At the heart of our new campus is “The Green.” The elementary, middle and high school all face this open space, while the Early Childhood Center (ECC) stands slightly to one side, closer to the adjacent suburban neighborhood. “We wanted the ECC to be removed from the formality of the Green, which frees it to be more residential in nature; important for young children transitioning from home to school.”

The Green is a common space for all the schools, with potential uses ranging from athletics and marching band practice to community fairs. A raised patio at one end of the green offers possibilities for outdoor graduations and other ceremonies.

Community use of athletic fields and buildings is planned for, and is an important component of the design. A stand-alone aquatics center (Phase Two) will provide space for high school swim teams, water safety classes, swim meets and more. Gates will allow portions of the site to be closed for security while allowing for flexibility in off-hours use of facilities.

Walking trails weave through the natural beauty of the site. A proposed environmental education center (Phase Two), located at the edge of the wetlands, provides classroom and lab space for teaching students about the importance of estuaries. The wind-turbine-powered center has the potential to be a field trip destination for schools throughout the region, and to be a model of sustainable architectural design.

By preparing a master plan, it is easier to build in sustainable site design features. Shared parking areas minimize the impervious coverage of the site and reduce runoff. Storm water quality and quantity control can be managed on a comprehensive scale. An important sustainable design approach for the master plan is rainwater capture from the roof drainage system. Large cisterns store rainwater for future use for irrigation of the athletic fields, or for toilet flushing in the buildings, giving the dual benefit of reducing storm water runoff and reducing water use.

Like the roots it draws from, the master plan ultimately strives to make the campus a place, rather than a collection of buildings. “To our knowledge, planning at this scale is unprecedented in public school planning.”

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the purpose of this referendum?

This referendum will allow us to do the following:

Keep pace with the rapid growth we continue to experience in the Appoquinimink School District – we have gained more than 1,500 students in the last three years.
Provide the facilities needed to deliver quality, 21st Century instruction and meet high stakes accountability.
We are asking for the following
- A new elementary school
- A new early childhood center
- A new wing at Olive B. Loss Elementary to replace the trailers currently in use, and an expansion of the cafeteria and multipurpose room.
- Renovation of older classrooms and the parent reception area at Townsend Elementary to create more useable space, with updates to the HVAC system for better energy efficiency.
- Installation of a serving kitchen at the Appoquinimink Early Childhood Center to allow us to provide hot meals to our four and five-year olds.
- Renovation of the auditorium at Everett Meredith Middle so that we no longer need to rent sound and light equipment to support student performances at the school.

Why is it necessary to have a referendum when the economy is weak?

Even with the downturn, our district continues to experience significant growth. In 2007, we grew by 605 students; in 2008 by 511 students; in 2009 by 391 students. That is a total of 1,507 students in just three years!

These numbers confirm our projections and emphasize the need to plan for the future. Without new buildings, we will exceed our current capacity in grades PK-5 by the fall of 2011 – just two years away!

But are your projections accurate?

Yes, our projections have been extremely accurate. We have been within 1% of our anticipated growth over the past 10 years. This year, enrollment reached 99.7% of our projection.

What is so special about this referendum?

We are in a position to build new schools without increasing taxes. NO NEW TAXES!

While this referendum will fund the construction of two new schools and four badly needed renovations, it also offers an opportunity to secure enough land to eventually build an entire PK-12 campus.

Initially, a portion of the property will be used to develop the two new schools described above. But later, as our enrollment increases, the land we “banked” will be developed with a middle and high school.

Will this referendum build the entire campus?

No, this referendum will not build the entire campus – only Phase One – which includes an early childhood center and an elementary school and some of the initial infrastructure needed to support the schools and athletic facilities that will follow at a later date as needed.

When do you anticipate the completion of the rest of the campus?

Phase One – the referendum we are asking you to support now – will be completed by 2011.

We anticipate that the rest of the campus – Phase Two – will be completed by 2015. Development will be addressed in a referendum tentatively scheduled for 2012/13 and would include a middle school, high school and – provided there was sufficient local support – an environmental center and an aquatics center. These last two facilities would serve ALL our Appoquinimink students.

What are the advantages of having so many schools on one campus?

We realize true economies of scale with a campus. There are major savings in the price of purchasing the land and managing resources. It’s an environmentally responsible approach as well. We develop one comprehensive footprint for roadways, parking and sewer which dramatically reduces our impact on the environment and other resources in our community.

Educationally, it allows our schools to work more collaboratively. Older students can mentor and tutor younger students, and younger students have role models to emulate.

How is it possible to do all of this without a tax increase?

A combination of factors will enable us to issue bonds to fund the proposed 2009 referendum without raising taxes:

We have been saving the “voluntary assessment” money (also known as impact fees) that we have been collecting from developers and will apply these funds to our local share of construction
Our assessment base is growing. The new homes being built are helping to contribute toward the debt that was authorized in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
We will be paying off some previously issued bonds and continue to pay down others, reducing our district’s debt.
The State of Delaware’s bonds have received highest rating (Triple-A) from all major rating agencies since 2001, allowing us to borrow at relatively low rates.
We are managing our money very effectively and maximizing interest earnings.

How do we know funds from the previous referendums are being handled properly?

We have monitored referendum spending very closely:

Referendum expenditures are a part of the financial reports that are presented on a monthly basis at School Board Meetings. These sessions are open to the public, and the information detailed in these reports can be viewed by the community at any time.
The state conducts its own independent audit of our capital and operating funds (including referendum projects) annually.
We have a longstanding commitment to maintain a Citizen’s Financial Advisory Committee. Community members review district financial matters on a monthly basis, including referendum spending.
Last but not least, the volunteer referendum committee from our last district-wide effort has remained in place and has been kept up-to-date on how referendum money is being used.

The schools that we have been building lately are very well appointed. Are we making our schools too elaborate?

There is a state formula for funding schools, and our district has stayed within the limits of that formula. We’ve been able to get more for our money in recent years because the construction climate has been so good for the buyer.

What kind of school taxes are in Delaware?

There are four kinds of school taxes in the state.

Debt Service Taxes pay for major renovations, land purchase, or new construction; usually taking the form of selling long-term bonds – this is the category under which our referendum request falls.
Minor Capital Improvement Taxes pay for minor repairs to facilities and equipment and for the local funding matches for technology, extra-time programs and math/reading specialists as allowed by the state.
Current Expense Taxes pay for general operation of schools, including text books, classroom supplies, utilities, activities and personnel.
Tuition Taxes pay for services to children with special needs attending special schools in other districts or in our district’s intensive learning centers.

I don’t have school-age children. Why should I vote for this referendum?

Good schools benefit everyone, even senior citizens. They make for safer communities, help to improve the value of real estate, and increase the quality of life. Nearly everyone is a product of a school system that was paid for by a previous generation.

Finally, please remember that there will be NO INCREASE in your taxes as a result of this referendum.

Is there relief for Seniors?

While this referendum will not increase your taxes, the State of Delaware does offer tax relief for seniors. The first $32,000 of assessed property, if applied for, is exempt from taxation. Seniors may also qualify for reductions in sewer and property tax based on income. For more information, call the County at 395-5520. Note: Separate exemptions are available for Town of Middletown residents, 65 and older, living within town limits for at least one year.

Will voting “no” to this referendum lower my taxes?

The major reason we can offer a No Tax Increase Referendum is the voluntary assessment we are collecting from developers. Those funds can only be used for construction-related growth. We could not use them to reduce taxes. Beyond that, there might be a slight reduction of taxes due to other factors, but it would be a very small decrease.

If the referendum passes, will there be another referendum? If so, when do you anticipate it?

This referendum meets our immediate need for an elementary school, an early childhood center, and some much-needed renovation/expansion work. As we said earlier, we expect the growth to continue, and with that will come a need for classrooms. We expect that there will be another referendum, potentially in 2012/13.

How important is approval of the referendum to the operation and success of our school system?

It’s crucial to keep ahead of the growth. We cannot permit crowded schools to interfere with our students’ ability to learn. These improvements will ensure that our young people have the resources to achieve, succeed and meet the challenges of tomorrow.

IMPORTANT VOTER INFORMATION

Voting Times:	Tuesday, December 8 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Polling Places:	Alfred G. Waters Middle Brick Mill Elementary Bunker Hill Elementary Everett Meredith Middle Louis L. Redding Middle Middletown High Olive B. Loss Elementary Silver Lake Elementary Townsend Early Childhood Center AND Appoquinimink Training Center

ELIGIBILITY

Delaware residents, living within the boundaries of the Appoquinimink School District who are at least 18-years old and a citizen of the United States can vote.
You do not need to own property or be a registered voter, but you must furnish proof of identification (a valid driver’s license or State of Delaware I.D. card) at the polling place.
Residents may cast their vote at ANY one of the 10 registered polling places listed above.
If you are eligible to vote, but unable to go to the polls on December 8, 2009 for a reason defined by law, you may vote by absentee ballot by mail or in person.

ABSENTEE VOTING PROCEDURE

Step One: Obtain an Affidavit for Absentee Ballot for Public School Elections from the Department of Elections for New Castle County, located in the Caravel State Office Building (phone 577-3464). Forms are also available in the office of every school and the District Office.

Step Two: Submit the completed affidavit to the Department of Elections for New Castle County. The form must be returned by December 4, 2009 if you wish to have the ballot mailed to you.

Step Three: The Department of Elections will issue you an official ballot. You may vote in person at the Department of Election offices from Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. until Monday, December 7, 2009 at noon; OR, you may return your voted ballot to the Department of Elections by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 8, 2009.

Note: The Department of Elections will be closed on November 11, 26 and 27 for state holidays. Absentee ballots cannot be accepted at our schools.

SPEAKER’S BUREAU

A volunteer Referendum Committee, representing citizen’s with broad-based expertise in business, finance, education and facility operations is spearheading the educational effort. That group is available to provide speakers for your community group, organization or club. To request a presentation, please contact:

Mrs. Helen Kimmey, Speaker’s Bureau
(302) 378-8603

VOLUNTEERS

The Referendum Committee welcomes parents and other community members interested in lending their support to this important initiative. There are a number of ways you can help, including:

Schedule a presentation at a community organization where you are active.
Host a coffee or tea for neighbors and friends who live in our district.
Write a letter expressing your support to the editor of our local paper.
Staff an information table at your student’s school.
Display a sign on your lawn supporting the referendum.
Offer to help remind local residents to vote.

If you would like to volunteer, please contact:
Ms. Kim LaFace
302-376-4101 referendum@appo.k12.de.us

OR

Dr. Paul Christian, 2009 Referendum Chair
Email: toothdr@bellatlantic.net

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions or comments about the 2009 Referendum please email us at: referendum@appo.k12.de.us

We hope to see you at the polls on December 8!

Referendum Images