Facilities Plan
With the future needs of our students as primary motivation and concern, Fern Ridge School District has purchased a small piece of property which lies between Elmira Elementary School and Elmira High School. Acquisition of this property follows the Capital Improvement Plan developed by the Fern Ridge School District Long Range Facility Planning Committee and DLR Group.
According to the plan, The Fern Ridge School District was to complete ten steps; one of which was to “Acquire strategic properties adjacent to Elmira ES and Veneta ES for future expansion and flexibility.” In part, the plan stated: Acquire strategic properties adjacent to Elmira ES and Veneta ES for future expansion and flexibility: The first phase of this plan does not require the acquisition of neighboring properties, but solutions toward future phases and potential growth that include neighboring properties would provide the District with greater flexibility. The Committee recommends land banking these properties if they become available at a cost within the prevailing market and within the constraints of the available budget.
This property could potentially be used for upgrading water systems, adding athletic fields, providing better access to and from the schools, or providing room for expansion of educational facilities.
The property is 10.79 acres and the purchase price was $335,000. The future sale of several other district properties will provide most of the revenue for this purchase. The transaction closed on Augsut 13, 2014. We are thrilled to be able to acquire this property for our students. – Dr. Sally J. Storm, Superintendent
The School Board is seeking community volunteers to serve on the Citizens Oversight Committee (COC). Committee members will be engaged during the design and construction phases of multiple aspects of the bond projects and make reports and recommendations to the Board. For more information, click here. Applications will be accepted until 2:00 PM on Monday, June 30, 2014.
At the regular board meeting on Tuesday, February 18, 2014, the Fern Ridge School Board voted unanimously to place a $26,670,000 bond measure before the community in May. Measure 20-220 would replace Elmira Elementary School, renovate other school facilities, and improve technology and safety throughout the District. If approved by voters, the measure is projected to result in no increase to the school bond tax rate that property owners currently pay. For more information, click here.
Last February the Fern Ridge School District began the development of a facilities plan that will serve us for the next 20-40 years. One of the purposes of this project was to answer questions such as, what are the District assets? What kind of condition are the buildings in? What area of the community has, or will have, the largest population increase? Where should we spend our maintenance money? Which buildings need replacement or which ones can be remodeled to suit our needs?
Nearly 25 staff and community members participated in this study. The plan is nearly completed and is under review by staff, the Board and the community. If this is indeed the plan that should drive decisions in the future, we would like as much input as possible from as many as possible at this stage of its creation. Please, review the Facilities Plan, or find a copy at City Hall, the local library, and of course the school district office.
We would like your honest feedback, letting us know what you think, what you would change and what you like. In the near future the District may engage in a phone or mailing survey to elicit response, as again, we would like as much input as can be obtained. Thanks ahead of time for considering the plan and your feedback.