April 1, 2016
The Bond Steering Committee reconvened on March 29 to learn what its subcommittee had developed related to preliminary cost estimates for three potential scenarios that the bond could fund. The Board of Directors received the new information and a report on what the three scenarios would entail at its Work Session on the evening of March 29, 2016.
The following describes the basic elements of each scenario being considered:
Scenario A:
- Renovate Hopkins Elementary; no new capacity.
- Increase capacity at Archer Glen and Edy Ridge with additions.
- Occupied by students in classrooms during construction.
- Increase capacity at Sherwood High School to accommodate 2,000 students.
- Occupied by students in portables on existing fields.
- Total increase in student capacity = 650 Cost per additional student = $241,957
- Estimated construction and remodel timelines:
- Elementary additions complete by 2017
- High School work from May 2018 to December 2019
- Would need a new elementary school and likely a new high school in approximately 7-8 years, based on enrollment projections.
Scenario B:
- Renovate Hopkins Elementary; reducing capacity to 400.
- Build a new elementary school on a new site.
- Increase capacity at Sherwood High School to accommodate 2,000 students.
- Occupied by students in portables on existing fields.
- Total increase in student capacity = 900 Cost per additional student = $208,677
- Estimated construction and remodel timelines:
- Hopkins remodel complete in 2017
- New elementary school, May 2018 to June 2019
- High School work from May 2018 to December 2019
- Would likely need a new high school in approximately 7-8 years.
Scenario C:
- Build new high school on a new site; 2,000 capacity (with 2,400 total capacity in a second phase expansion, if needed).
- Relocate Laurel Ridge Middle and Sherwood Middle to existing high school campus.
- Relocate Hopkins Elementary to Sherwood Middle campus.
- Relocate District Office and District programs to existing Hopkins site.
- Convert The Ridges campus to two elementary schools.
- Total increase in student capacity = 2,000 Cost per additional student = $125,662
- Estimated construction and remodel timelines:
- New high school construction, June 2018 to June 2020
- Relocation of LR and SMS to SHS, June 2020 to September 2020
- Hopkins to SMS, June 2020 to September 2020
- District programs to Hopkins, September 2020-March 2021
- Greater funding needed for this scenario.
- Impacts all students, not just two levels.
- Doubles community availability of fields, and Hopkins’ land remains available for future utilization for students if needed.
April 5, 2016
The Board of Directors conducted a Special Work Session on April 5, 2016, where they received bond funding options from Brendan Watkins of Piper Jaffray. The Board determined they would like to see the results of a couple different structures so they can view the impacts on levy rates over time and requested Piper Jaffray to revise and return with the new information at their next Special Work Session, April 18, 2016.
April 13, 2016
At its regular monthly Board meeting on Wednesday, April 13, the Board of Directors received a brief overview of the results of a recent “pulse” poll conducted by Moore Information, Inc., as requested by the Board earlier in the year. Late February 2016, Moore Information arranged a live interview poll with Sherwood residents to assist the Board in understanding what funding priorities voters would identify as important to them for Sherwood Schools.
April 18, 2016
The Board met in a Special Work Session on Monday, April 18, 2016, immediately following the Budget Committee meeting, at the Community Room of The Ridges campus. Board members received a presentation on the demographic study findings completed by Davis Demographics. As requested by the Board at the April 5 Work Session, Piper Jaffray representatives attended the meeting to discuss alternative bond refinancing structures for Scenario C (the third of three proposed project scenarios being considered by the Board).
May 2, 2016
On Monday, May 2, the District held a public Bond Community Forum at Archer Glen Elementary, from 5:30-8:00pm, to present in detail the three project scenarios (A, B and C described above) and related financing structures for each to our stakeholders.
There were 72 attendees that represented Sherwood parents, District staff, Board members, administrators, local business owners, City leaders, and community members. The evening began with a welcome by Board Chair Jessica Adamson, followed by an introduction to the evening’s forum by Superintendent Heather Cordie.
Karina Ruiz of Dull Olson Weekes-IBI Group Architects shared the guiding principles developed by the earlier work of the Bond Visioning Committee. The three project scenarios were presented by Principal Ken Bell (Sherwood High School), Principal Jeremiah Patterson (Middleton Elementary), and Assistant Superintendent Gary Bennett.
Meeting participants engaged administrators with questions related to each of the scenarios. Finally, attendees convened in eight smaller groups to discuss – and later share with the larger group – their thoughts about each of the three scenarios being considered by the Board. The District’s leaders and Board of Directors will carefully consider the questions asked and the feedback provided by all of those that participated in the Bond Community Forum. Thank you to those that committed the time to be part of this very important step in the bond process.
May 25, 2016
On May 25, the Board met in a work session to learn from Moore Information, Inc., the findings of the second, most recent poll of Sherwood voters. The poll was conducted to learn from the community what priority voters placed on project categories proposed to be included with a potential bond. Additionally discussed at the meeting, was the potential for Sherwood School District to receive some matching funds from the State of Oregon through its Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching (OSCIM) program. While not guaranteed to be selected for the funding, if the District is selected, funding could be received to match up to approximately $4.6 million. The District is applying for the program’s opportunity for fund-matching in July.
June 8, 2016
During the last regular Board meeting of the 2015-16 school year, the Board of Directors unanimously (5-0) voted to approve a bond measure for the November 2016 ballot. The District will proceed with next steps required to file within the required timelines.
July 6, 2016
On July 6 we learned from the Oregon Department of Revenue (ODE) that we are one of the districts selected to receive a bond fund-matching grant, if the bond measure passes in November. We have a commitment of $4,468,542 in Oregon School Capital Improvement Match (OSCIM) funds. 29 districts applied, and commitments were made to 11 school districts.
July 27, 2016
The Board of Directors held a Board meeting on July 27, 2016. During that meeting, the Board unanimously voted (5-0) to approve the resolution to put a measure on the November 8, 2016 ballot. Next, the District will be filing a notice of measure election with Washington County.
August 19, 2016
The District received the assigned ballot measure number from the Washington County Elections Office, #34-254.
September 1, 2016
Renderings depicting what could be one possible design for a future new high school if Ballot Measure #34-254 passes in November were posted on the District web site.