Carroll officials look at possible 2017 bond options

Carroll trustees recently began discussing options for a possible 2017 bond election to increase capacity at the elementary level and upgrade facilities around the district.

Carroll’s last bond election was in 2009, which district officials have said is a little longer than optimal for dealing with big ticket maintenance items.

At an Aug. 29 workshop session, John Haugen, a bond consultant and vice president of Natex Architects, told trustees that more than half of a potential $200 million bond would go to district-wide maintenance, including roofs, canopies and bathrooms, to technology infrastructure improvements and to replacing aging mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems.

Other funds would add classroom space at several elementary schools, build a new fine arts center to house band and choir at Carroll Senior High and provide mobile devices for each student.

To deal with an influx of growth, officials are considering adding classrooms at several elementary schools where class sizes are peaking. This year, portables have been added at Carroll and Johnson elementary schools and crews built walls in two larger collaborative spaces at Walnut Grove Elementary to make three regular classrooms and a half-size classroom for special programs.

“Over the long haul, the building needs committee wanted a sixth elementary, but that’s not financially feasible right now,” said Superintendent David Faltys. “When we build a sixth elementary, we can convert these spaces to collaborative learning areas or maker spaces.”

The obstacle for a sixth elementary is not bond funding for the facility but daily operating funds to have a building fully staffed, supplied and maintained.

Haugen said that a new fine arts center would have “a domino effect,” allowing programs like STEM, journalism and theater to move to larger spaces, which also would require additional remodeling.

An estimated $45 million would go to technology infrastructure improvements, upgrades to classroom media and electronic teaching tools and one-to-one devices for students.

Randy Stuart, executive director of technology, said he was considering laptops for the secondary level and tablets for elementary students. The district likely would phase in the one-to-one devices for students over several years, using pilot teachers or pilot campuses.

His department is prioritizing replacement of devices and desk tops based on age, so the cost would be spread out over several years, Stuart said.

This story was originally published September 13, 2016 at 1:10 PM with the headline "Carroll officials look at possible 2017 bond options."