Board Reviews Survey Framework at Special Facilities Meeting

A framework for an upcoming community survey was presented to the Neenah Joint School District Board of Education at a special facilities meeting on September 10.

Bill Foster from School Perceptions presented a timeline of the survey process and a tentative outline for the survey. Foster will refine the survey and return with an initial draft for the next meeting on September 24. The Board will get a final draft for approval on October 8 and the survey is expected to be emailed to staff and parents and mailed to the community during the week of October 21. The deadline would be November 11 and reports would be presented to the Board later in November with hopes of creating a referendum question for the April 2020 ballot.

The Board indicated at its previous meeting that it plans to survey the community on two different pathways. One pathway would build an intermediate school for grades 5-6, build a middle school for grades 7-8 and renovate the high school. The other would build a new high school and renovate the existing high school to host grades 5-8. Both plans would restructure Horace Mann into an elementary school and relocate all four-year-old kindergarten classes to Washington.

Foster described a survey that would provide information on the District's financial background, including mill rate comparisons with other districts and future funding options. The community would be asked if they are in favor of the first phase of construction for either pathway and the amount of tax increase they would be willing to support. 

Foster also offered the possibility of asking for additional community support to invest for projects at the elementary level that would accelerate the completion of either pathway. His initial plan was to ask for support in ranges from $125-$155 million. Some Board members questioned if $125 million was too high for the lowest range and how high the ranges should go. Foster will consider that feedback in his initial draft. The initial survey will also include a recommendation from the District's administrators.

The survey will be presented at the next meeting on September 24 at 6 p.m. at the administration building at 410 S. Commercial St.