001in the town of I brought in Cleveland for us. Yeah, it was wonderful. Was the time around? I This was the first time that it was different. The first time it was different on the ballot. That was my within city limits. No, I think has it been separated like that before? City seats. So, it was it was either inside or outside. They put it all together. I mean, these days. Yeah, I'm excited. I don't know if I want to like I don't know like between like Are we ready? I'm so glad that All right. I call to order the committee of the whole. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I
002seek approval of the agenda. So move. Is there a second? Second. Um all in favor? Motion carries. Rule qualifies as present except for President Santino Ler. And number five, Farnsworth and Urban Middle School referendum update. Yeah, we'll be quick tonight. This is um very very very very preliminary. uh but we wanted to get it in front of you and then I think we'll have a much more formal and in-depth presentation in May. Um we saw the first rendering of the exterior of Farnsworth and I think we were all pretty amazed and wanted to show it to you tonight but Bray wanted us to hold off a little bit. So um what we can give you tonight is the interior. Um, I'm going to just kind of speak on the layout. Again, you should not get
003hung up on uh names on rooms or anything like that, but you're going to get the general concept of of what the floor plans will look like. Um, Rachel's going to talk a little bit about really we have two teams working on this. A design team that meets every other Wednesday, uh, which is mostly administration, buildings and grounds, and then, um, Bray Washes and CD Smith. And then we have user groups um made up of of different teacher groups depending on what area of the building we're we're after. So they've really tried to get um our staff engaged as as well. Um and then like I said in May we'll come back and and update and before we wrap up tonight Mark can just give a brief summary of where we are financially. So, what
004you're seeing here on the first um picture and maybe easier for you to see on your computers than on on the screen, but just kind of the um general print of Farnsworth that hasn't changed a lot from from where we were. So, nice drop off off of uh 10th Street there and then drop offs on other sides as well where we'll do cutouts to kind of disperse traffic. Um close to 100 parking spots uh up in the corner. We'll get a U10 soccer field. we believe and we've been talking with South High on that. We're going to turf that and they think that will really help them actually with high school practices as well. So, it's a smaller field, but when this time of the year weather's so bad when stuff is flooding, uh any
005way you can get on turf is is nice. So, that was kind of a a nice side benefit of that. Um you see the hard surface play area there uh right off of that's the right off the cafeteria so kids can walk right out. They'll be opportunity them for eat to eat outside um on nice days as well I think and just use that that space um and just really a nice nice design. So we're happy with uh what we were able to do there given our kind of our space um issues and requirements here you can see what we're looking at. So, gymnasium, cafeteria, um, and then office space kind of in that, uh, top half of the building. And then on the the bottom half is really where you start into your classrooms.
006Um, and what that will look like. And if you haven't seen these newer middle schools, what's so neat is um, where they have it labeled like resource team B. that's just a an open area for kids to do collaborative work um from the classrooms to to come out and work. It it really creates a nice environment rather than just the hallway that obviously is just used for passing. Um and kind of maximizes the square footage. Um and then allows us to break the building up based on if we want to break it up by teams, if we want to break it up by um content area, we can do that. And the plan right now, you'll you can kind of see it uh is between those classrooms are all um sliding doors as well. So,
007if you want to open that up and combine two classrooms, you can do that. If you want to close it up and have it more traditional, you can do that as well. Nice science labs there on the first floor. You'd have access to the outside if you wanted to do any kind of botney greenhouse type thing. So, really kind of a neat um schematic there as we are able to maximize space and then second and third floor are going to kind of be repetitious and again just creating that floor plan everyone gets natural light um everyone's going to get windows obviously AC and HVAC is much better than before so really a nice uh move from that standpoint when I say everyone the core content areas special ed rooms etc there and then employ, you're
008going to see more of the same. So, um you're really just stacking on top of each other. Uh science goes right down the middle. Of course, they're going to share plumbing and things of that nature. Um neat space for collaboration. They put those uh little tech bars in off the uh corridor, which is just a it's a fishbowl for kids. So, they can get in there and it'll be quiet. they'll be surrounded by glass, but yet we have good um visibility as far as being able to monitor and make sure they're they're working and being safe. So, um really well thought out. Really, a lot of time has gone into thinking about where we put every um every classroom and every bit of furniture and where we move lockers and where we put tech bars
009so that uh we have good line of sights on kids and things of that nature. So, um, lots of work, lots of time spent on this. Uh, many, many, many, many hours with our architects and Quashious and CD Smith have been great thus far. Um, so that's where we are right now with Farnsworth. And then we'll transition to urban. Urban, you're seeing again the same the, you know, the blue is the the remodel and the yellow tan is is going to be the new. So, we get and I can't see from here, but I think we get 87 90ish uh parking spots um off to the west there and then we add a whole new lot off to the north. So, we're more than doubling the parking uh right now. I think there's about 70
010spots off the back. So, for a congested area where that was definitely a concern for us, we got a lot of parking in this area. Um, also, you know, really nice for football games, really nice when we're uh doing things in the auditorium, basketball and stuff at at North to have that parking there. So, we're feeling good about that layout um while still keeping that courtyard out front and uh preserving the historic uh stature of Urban. So, that's their basement. Not not much to cover there. It'll mostly be storage mechanicals. First floor, um we're adding that gym. So there'll be two gyms at Urban, a cafeteria. Again, we we put a lot of time and effort into thinking about how we could kind of cordon off the building so we could use it for um
011you know, the gyms and cafeterias can be used on the weekends without giving people access to the full building. So um we're in good shape there. Both schools have um community rooms and legacy rooms built in. So that might be something a Boys and Girls Club wants to use. a legacy room will have a, you know, ping pong table in it. Foosball, things like that. It's a reward that kids can use. Um, people like to rent those out on the weekends sometimes. Uh, things of that nature. So, really trying to make the building accessible and multi-use. Our our intention is certainly to use it. Um, and and urban with its proximity to to north really opens up a lot too as far as being able to combine spaces between the two to host large events.
012Um, and then similar to u what you saw at Farnsworth is everything just stacks. So, um, that's really what you're kind of looking at from an academic standpoint. Again, science um, together and then other classrooms are on the outside. That that middle piece um, which is off the library there is going to be our light court. So, that's how we get light into those interior classrooms. Um, so they'll all get natural light flooding in there. Um, should be a really nice look off the off the library. And then obviously as you stack up, all those classrooms will either have exterior windows or windows into the light court to get that that natural light in. Um, a little more cramped as far as the um, space at Urban for the collaborative learning, but we're working on
013that. Uh it's always a balance between how big do you want to go with classes, what do you want for collaborative area, etc. Um so we continue to work through that process, but pretty straightforward, pretty similar to Farnsworth. Um from that situation and uh just a nice nice schematic. We're happy with with where we landed. Yes, ma'am. just just roughly in a conventional classroom, how many if they're going to be bigger, how many seats can we put? Yeah. So, right now, uh we'll have classrooms as high as 30 plus in our middle schools and I think we're at about 6 700 square f feet and now we're going to 900 square feet. So, you can you can really jam kids in if you want to. Um our hope is that we don't have to do
014that. Um but we're adding considerable space from what our current classrooms are. And then what I would say to that as well is that collaborative space also adds additional instructional space that we don't currently have. Right? So we might have staff that are pull pulling a student out to a h into a hallway. They're trying to make that space work to provide whether it's individualized support or just giving a student a break or a new learning environment. Now we will have spaces that are designed for just that. um that would provide that the ability to supervise students to work independent independently or with support. And then I would also say that we're going to have additional small group instructional spaces. So we'll have many more spaces for our students to engage in their learning than
015what we currently have. I would add one more piece to that as well and and that is we've included our um SRO's and the SPD in this discussion as well just as we've designed with uh some of the middle schools you'll see have a lot of glass uh like their whole wall is glass. Um, and as we've talked with those schools, some teachers really like that. Some schools really like it. Others have said it creates a fishbowl effect. Kids aren't paying attention. Um, and when we worked with our SRO's, they didn't like that from a security and safety standpoint. So, um, strategic windows, uh, obviously they'll have exterior window, exterior windows, but strategic interior windows. Um, I think we kind of felt like we came to a happy medium of not making it at all
016feel like a jail cell or a confined space but yet offering safety for students uh given the world that we live in. So we feel good about that as well. You want to speak Rachel just to enrollment with teachers maybe your thoughts on your trips to the other schools. Yeah. So I can share two main ways in which we engage the staff. So Jake Shear then we have our court planning team which is really that team of administration along with Bray and Quashes and we're really setting that floor plan if you will and putting the guard rails in place but we know we need the expertise of our staff. They're the ones who are currently using those instructional spaces. They're closest to what the student needs are. So um what we've done is we've had
017user groups. So Bray Bray comes in and he leads they lead those user groups. So the user groups are broken down. We have a core planning um user group which would be ELA, science, social studies, our related service providers are involved in that core planning group. We have core planning groups that are broken down um in some of those more specialty areas. So, teched, face, science, um, physical education, and basically brace taking them through a series of questions to get at what the instructional needs are for that space, how they're currently being used and functioning, and then what are some of those desires in the new spaces. So, we've just completed our first round of user groups. will continue to run those user groups, probably three or four rounds of those user groups to fine-tune
018that feedback from the staff. Um, so what I've heard from the staff is they're very appreciative that they're able to be part of that process. They overall feel as though their voices are being heard. Um, obviously we have some level of parameter. We need to stay on track within our budget and the timeline for planning, but we're taking as much feedback as we can from the staff to embed that into the plan. So, um, even over the first couple of user groups, not even our first round, we saw Bray take that feedback to our core planning team and integrate that. Um, and that'll continue to happen to some extent. So, that was one of the first main ways in which we've engaged the educators that will be using those spaces. The other one is um,
019we hopped on the coach bus. We had about 30 staff um get on a coach bus and we were able to go out and see two newly built middle schools. Um both schools are Ashkosh. So we went to Velar Phillips and Ashkosh and that school they're in their first year within that school. So it is a um freshly built school actually their second year. I take that back. They're in their second year. Um and that was really helpful. We went out two times. The first time we went out with our administrative team, we had an opportunity to ask questions of the teachers, ask questions of the administrators. They've been extremely helpful as far as telling us everything that we should do um as far as logistics and planning um as well as some of those
020things that we need to consider as we engage in a project like this. So, we went out to that site the first time with that administrative team. We took back a team of about 30 educators. the school was in session so they were able to see students and staff utilizing it. Um some of the takeaway was all the things we hoped for, right? So um there will be that increased class size, those collaborative spaces. First time seeing those if you've not been in the updated um middle school is pretty impressive. And to see the students operating and functioning in those spaces really um taken away by some of the specialized programs that they have in the specialized spaces. So, tech ed the gym spaces. So, we've received lots of good feedback from our staff and
021then some things that um they want us to consider as we build the new buildings and we move forward in this referendum project. And then the other site that we saw was Mosquo Lakes Middle School in Mosquo. Um so we saw those two sites on the 31st. And Mark, you just want to give a quick update on finances? Yeah. So, um not a lot to really update from a financial side. Uh currently we're just uh paying basically percentage billing uh to Bray as they design out the building. But, uh we'll just have a much better picture of the overall project once we get to open up those u those bids. So, that's always a big day for us as we compare that to what is in the budget and then do we need to make
022any adjustments off of those bids? Uh we're also exploring uh geothermal and solar for both buildings. We're engaging with an engineering firm that specializes in in that. So uh the first thing is just the viability like can can we do it in that space? Is there enough uh space to do it? They're going have to do some testing. Second, what is the cost? And then what is the payback uh estimated payback for those systems? um that geothermal and solar was not in the original referendum budget. So if the payback looks good, we think the board decides that we want to follow through on that. Uh we'd have to look at how are we going to fund that, uh we do have a healthy fund balance designated for building future building projects. So that's one area
023we could use. And then the other area would be looking at the uh investment income that we're making throughout the project from the the borrow money. So we'll continue update the board on that. I think that's going to be a decision point um coming up for the board. So any questions? Let's start. Go ahead. He um just a couple. This is a little one, but um you know the old urban library is so cool. Is there any part of that library that's being transferred into the new building? Almost all of it. We're keeping the fireplace. All right. I can say that, right? Okay. Yeah, it's pretty much going to be intact. So, and it will lead out to a courtyard. So, how beautiful diggity. Um and and that leads to the second you're going to
024share all this like in newsletters I assume that Yeah, we have. So as uh we've done this gives us updates and and we're putting that out on the internet. So Nicole's put I think two out already. Okay. Um looked Yeah. And so we're slow roll out from there and then um we're just waiting on the exterior now and then we'll really be ready to launch to the community. We know those these sessions. The the main thing that we were hearing from neighbors was we just want to know if it's going to tie in with our neighborhood. Um I haven't seen urban yet. I think we're going to be really pleased with farms. Um will the schools retain their names? That's our plan. I don't know what the policy was throughout SASD history. Yeah, I think
025we went to it's at our will, but it's a lot of history there. Okay. I was just wondering when we when we put up together the budget for this, do we have enough cushions have absorbed a dramatic increase in cost of materials? Yeah. I mean, I think um certainly with the tariffs, especially on steel, there's some concern there. Um, one of the things that, uh, might be advantage to us is that the process of ordering materials is a little ways out yet. So, there's still hope that some of those tariffs will be lifted by that time, but um, you know, that's there is a contingency in the budget. Of course, inflation is built into in the budget, but I think um you know, 25% tariff on steel was probably not the number they use. So,
026we'll so that you know on bid day that'll be a real important thing. And and um just have to adjust. Is it a possibility that we would have to delay construction if the cost would be too prohibited without tariffs? Yeah, I you know it's hard to predict what you know how bad would it be if it's you know a slight adjustment we can work around that like I say we are doing really well on the the investment income that's extra money that wasn't in the budget we'll be able to use as a buffer um and then of course there is the contingency in there um if if it got beyond that we would just have to you know take a look at at that time it's hard to speculate what what we would do Right.
027Did you have another question? Yeah. Uh Rachel, comparing those two middle schools you went to, Ashkash and Moskego, right? And comparing it to our new one, similar similarities or, you know, as far as what you saw as they didn't have the same archetypes as we did, correct? They did. They did. Okay. Yeah. So, what did you see? What did Yeah. So what I would say is um the scale of Ashkosh is really large. So in some ways it's hard to kind of say like what would that look like in a Farnsworth or an urban player. But some of the main takeaways like just walking through the building initially a lot of the security features that they have in place that would be an improvement for us and that um many of those features will be
028automated. So they use a compartmentalization model within the schools. So we were able to kind of get exposed to that the lay out of the office. So having a space for main office family that traffic will provide some efficiencies there and then the student services spaces as I said in those core instructional spaces to be able to have that balance of uh the core planning areas and the collaborative spaces outside we had lots of positive reception from our staff around that. One of the things that uh we've asked for which Jake spoke to is just that ability to have some access between two classrooms because currently that's how our teachers teach, right? Like there's really strong collaboration between our core teachers. So ELA and ELA working together. We have flexibility for the future, but having
029that to the space is something that will be beneficial. Um, and then I would say for some of those specialty areas like science and teched and gym, those are just up-to-date state-of-the-art spaces, right? So, to be able to have a physical space, this all updated is huge. Of course, we're going to bring some equipment along with us, but we know we have storage needs. We have needs um for the students to be able to move around the classroom and collaborate. Those were all things that were um appealing to us and things that will be embedded in this new plan and that we'll be able to reap the benefits of. So that's exciting. Yeah. Great. And we did a little cheer. So you know you think about me I like a good cheer. So when we
030got on to take off for the charter, we had to do a little cheer to bring some team create some team spirit. Um and I think I was a little over the top for so I I didn't do any cheers. Uh, believe it or not, that's not my style. But, uh, I think we've been in about six different middle schools now. Um, Mark has done cheers on the way there in my car. But, um, I I think where I was probably a little nervous going in is are we going to be able to get schools that look this great given that we have to work off of our old footprint? Yeah. And I I think I'm in a place where like our footprint's going to be better. like it's amazing what they're able to do.
031Um it's going to it's going to be good. So, we're excited. And I would say another thing is just the ability to flood the spaces with natural light, right? And kind of what that means as far as just students being able to work in really good lighting, but then we know what natural light does um for us from a physical and a mental health perspective. And then um one of the other pieces is just like the flexibility of the spaces, having all those additional spaces like a small group instruction space, having a sensory space for students, having now um PT and OT will have a space and one of the main requests from staff and things that they were curious about is are we going to have air conditioning? Yes, we will have air conditioning.
032So there's just so much um to be excited about with this project and so much benefit for our students and our staff. So can you just repeat there is going to be a sensory room built into both there the sensory they're pretty awesome. They have um built-in lighting options within those spaces and design for the needs of the students. I was prepared to talk about the decrease in seclusion and restraint that we experienced when we implemented a sensory room. And when I taught I taught at a new build, so it was 201 13 through 19 or whatever. But that pod space, we called it the, you know, sixth grade pod, the seventh grade pod, that resource space, it was utilized not just for that collaboration and co-eing, but like whole grade level, the sixth grade
033pod where everybody would come out and do student of the month quarter celebrations. It was a a big community factor. And we did see an increase in students uh being educated 80% or more of their school day in the general education population with use of their pods after multiple years. So, well, we're all excited. Wow. And I will say we're definitely Yeah, that's a cheer. Um I would say that we are designing the spaces to meet the needs of every single learner. So like there's accessory space, but then we also have a space dedicated for our therapists. So, PT OT speech. Um, and then we also have spaces for our specialized programs as well that are designed exactly for what they need. So, it'll be a huge improvement all the way around and for every
034learner. When are we starting again? About a year. Okay. Any other questions? Thank you very much. You do. You should teach us the cheer. Okay. for sure. No, don't over. All right. A You asked for it. And we are adjourned. You're right. Okay. Wait. I need a motion. Um, right. Is that what you just said? I need a motion to adjurnn, please. So move. Second. All in favor? I motion carries. Now we're ajourned.