Schools at capacity

Posted: Feb. 1, 2012

Oconomowoc Area School District - The school district could be out of classroom space by as early as the 2015-16 school year, if enrollment forecast projections prove accurate.

Burgeoning growth that resulted in a 25-percent increase over the last decade has left all the district's elementary schools at or near capacity. Board members and district officials met recently for a long-range facilities planning session to discuss possible options to meet the growing student population.

A draft of a board-authorized facilities study, done by Plunkett Raysich Architects (PRA), outlined an existing facilities survey and an educational space study for reference by district leaders.

The study at this point does not include cost estimates as related to any potential remodeling projects.

According to the firm, the price tag on construction of a new elementary school is approximately $14 million, excluding the cost of land.

"During this process, we have to look at all the possibilities," said Superintendent Dr. Pat Neudecker.

PRA based building enrollment projections on the information contained within the Applied Population Laboratory report, dated February of 2011.

"The student population is projected to increase between 2011 and 2021 across all age groups at all of the schools," according to the report.

Anticipated enrollment will quickly exceed the capacity of the elementary schools; by 2015-16 there will be a need for an additional capacity for 458 K4 through fourth-grade students, the PRA report indicated.

Predictions questioned

Board members took issue with the APL on its projection of static growth cited in Ixonia.

"There are 100-plus lots not built on," board member Mike Bickler pointed out.

The potential for explosive growth from that area would further burden capacity levels at the district's elementary level.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Mike Barry cautioned that projecting enrollment is not a science. "You're never going to know. It's difficult to make the right call," he added. He used recent experiences to make his point.

"In the last two years, we had enrollment growth of 220 one year and 30 the next," he said.

However, Barry said, there are factors that need to be considered.

"The last 10 years reflected a significant housing surge and in the last four years the housing market has been dormant. We might not have felt that impact. If people bought a house and then started a family, they are not school age yet," he pointed out.

More information is needed, he said.

"It's likely additional work by APL will be requested by the board to dig deeper into these questions," Barry added.

"Oconomowoc still has a lot of developable land within the school district boundaries. Several hundred homes have been approved by various plan commissions within the various municipalities in the school district. These have not been built due to the real estate slump. But, given the potential and the relationship between housing starts and enrollment, it seems reasonable to model the district facility needs assuming totals of 5,500, 5,750 and 6,000 students. Exercises like that are a way of organizing that discussion," he said.

Since the last school facilities project was completed in August 2008, enrollment has grown from 4,729 to 5,066, a jump of 337.

Of the five elementary schools, only Greenland School has limited available classroom space.

"Who would have expected when we built Summit nine years ago, that in three years it would be filled," asked Board President Don Wiemer.

Looking at options

The facility study, using a model very similar to Summit School, evaluated capacity and space deficiencies and also looked at what would be required to accommodate "visionary programs."

PRA determined that all of the schools, with the exception of Summit, would require extensive remodeling to meet the standard.

School officials will explore a number of options to meet the district needs.

One consideration is the use of portable classrooms as a temporary solution.

It's a reality we may have to consider. We have growth in all our attendance areas," Neudecker pointed out.

There are costs associated with the portable classrooms as well, including the cost to purchase or rent the portables, in addition to the expense of running electric, water and other services to the site.

The board will request and examine options on costs associated with remodeling and building, the cost of portable classrooms and benefit to removing programs such as 4K, which could open up available classroom space.

Board members may also investigate using available space at the intermediate schools to alleviate the space problems at the elementary level.

The two intermediate schools, each built to accommodate 800 students, are currently at 750 students at each school.

"The intermediates were designed for grades 5 through 8, but have the option of flexibility to adjust a grade at either end," Neudecker said.

However, she questioned whether the community would embrace a school that size for younger students.

Kim Dale Hassell, partner with PRA, noted that growing enrollment is a rarity in the state.

"Oconomowoc and one other school district in the state are dealing with (issues pertaining to growth). You are a bit unique," she said.