School Board Organizational Meeting

The school board will hold its organizational meeting on Monday, January 5, 2008 at Delano City Hall beginning at 7:00 p.m. The agenda is posted on my website.

School Board Meeting December 15, 2008

The monthly school board meeting for December will be held in the high school cafeteria on Monday, December 15 beginning at 7:00 p.m. The agenda is posted on my website

The agenda includes the following:

Policy Revisions - This will be the second reading to policy revisions that are driven by changes in state laws.

Consider Revising Rent on School Owned House - There hasn't been much interest from potential renters in the house acquired as a result of the last bond issue. We have been advertising it at $1500 per month. The board will consider lowering the rent.

Amendment to Purchase Agreement for City Land - This revises the original purchase agreement and sets the closing date before December 31, 2008.

Acknowledge letter from Watertown-Mayer to dissolve the Agreement for Shared Administration of Community Education Programs and Services and hear recommendation from the Community Education Advisory Council - Delano and Watertown-Mayer Schools have been sharing the Com Ed Director and Enrichment Coordinator since 2004-05. W-M would now like to end that arrangement and re-negotiate something else. The Delano Community Education Advisory Council recommends that we hire a full time director on our own. See their letter that is linked to the agenda.


Consider Proposal to Submit to Congress Should Congress Authorize Stimulus Plan That Would Include Schools - The Obama administration is having discussions about an economic stimulus plan that would include school construction and renovations that could be ready to go by April 1. We think the science additions, music additions and security upgrades that were part of our past bond elections could be ready to go by April. We also have some roof replacement that is due this summer that could also be considered.

Declare Surplus Property - We are getting together a list of surplus property items that are no longer useful to the district that we would like to dispose of. The list may or may not be ready by meeting time.

Request for Extended Trip - District policy requires board approval on overnight trips. This one has to do with the hockey team going to Duluth over winter break for a tournament.

Set Organizational Meeting - The board typically holds an organizational meeting of the board early in December to elect officers and set up board committees.

$5.2 Billion Hole

Today's StarTribune reported on yesterday's announcement regarding the economic forecast that was released. "Long-range, Pawlenty said, he will propose a reshaping of health care, K-12 education spending and the tax system itself, which he called outdated...Even the K-12 budget, considered sacrosanct most years, will be rebuilt from zero. [House leader] Kelliher appeared to back up that proposal, saying that legislators will use zero-based budgeting to winnow spending."

Under zero based budgeting every budget function is comprehensively reviewed and every item justified in complete detail. This process could lead to major education reforms driven by the state's financial challenges.

At Delano Schools we anticipate a deficit budget for the next school year (FY2010). However we do have some fund balance we can utilize to stave off wholesale reductions for a year or so, depending on how K-12 funding is impacted by the state. One reason we will be in a deficit budget is that the $425 voter approved operating levy, along with other funding sources, isn't keeping up with inflation. The state average operating levy after the November 2008 elections, is $919 per student and will go to $999 per student next year (because of the inflationary factors built in to some of the levies). Our operating levy will expire in 2011. It will need to be renewed and increased either in November of 2010 or 2011.

Open Enrollment

The school district has again limited open enrollment for the 2009-10 school year for grades 1-12. No limit has been placed on kindergarten yet because families already have students open enrolled in higher grades and we are sensitive to splitting families between districts. Also kindergarten is our lowest enrollment grade. What this means is that we will allow in two students per grade in grades 1-12 on a first come first serve basis. This is the most strict standard allowed by state law.

The reason for the limitation is that our buildings are full beyond capacity.

If you want to apply for open enrollment for next school year the deadline is January 15. The form is available here

Independence to get Target store?

There is a lot of interest and discussion around Delano and Independence about the possible location of a Target store at the NE intersection of Highway 12 and County Line Road. The main question seems to be "should Delano support this development by providing water and sewer across the county line into Independence?" For a fee, of course.

From the standpoint of taxpayers in the Delano School District a Target store would increase the commercial tax base of the school district. This would lessen the burden on taxpayers for bond and levy referendums, including the existing bonds and levies that are in effect.

This increase in the tax base would not provide more dollars to the school district's general fund. The funding formula is based on a state set authorized revenue amount, which is $19,110,110. Local property taxes ($2,974,518) are subtracted from the authorized amount and the remainder ($16,135,592) is the state aid that is received. So the more property tax that goes into the formula, the less state aid.

Truth in Taxation Hearing

The school district will hold its Truth in Taxation Hearing on December 2, 2008 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Delano City Hall. It will also be broadcast live on Delano Cable Channel 12.

School districts are required to hold these hearings if the tax increase is greater than 6.1943%. While the district's tax increase will be more in the range of 3%, the school board has elected to hold the hearing anyway in an effort to inform school patrons about school district taxes and the school budget.

I hope to see many of you at City Hall on December 2.

School Calendar for 2009-10

State law provides that schools cannot start classes prior to Labor Day. In 2009 Labor Day is September 7 so the first day of school will be Tuesday, September 8. This will put our last day of school on about June 9, 2010 or later if there are snow days. If this law weren't in effect the first day of school would most likely be August 31 or September 1 with the last day June 1 or 2.

The Minnesota Association of School Administrators will be lobbying for a change in the law so that school can start prior to Labor Day. It is our opinion that local school districts should be able to determine the school calendar that best fits the interests of the local school district.

I would be interested in hearing your opinions on this via this blog.

Important Upcoming Events

I would like to announce two important upcoming events. The first is on Monday, November 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Middle School Auditorium. We, along with the Rockford School District, will be hosting a meeting with our legislators to discuss the upcoming legislative session and specifically school funding. Increased state funding is critical to continuing the programs that we have in place at Delano Schools. The state of the economy is going to present challenges so your presence and input is vital. I hope many parents and community members can attend.

The second event is our annual Veterans Day Program in the Tiger Activity Center on Tuesday, November 11 at 10:00 a.m. We will have a unique program recognizing the Veterans of the Cold War, while educating our middle school and high school students regarding the meaning and purpose of Veterans Day.

Tax Levy

At the September 22nd school board meeting the board approved proposed tax levies for 2008 taxes payable in 2009. In accordance with the school board's position regarding the operating levy that was passed for a new 4-6 building, the board is not proposing to levy for the $285 per pupil levy that was authorized in the November 2007 election since the ballot question regarding the 4-6 building did not pass. This is known as "underlevying," and causes some confusion when it comes time to certify the levy to Wright and Hennepin Counties.

Taxpayers will receive a "proposed property tax notice" in November. The school portion of the tax notice will show a proposed 2009 property tax increase of about 2.9%. This includes an increase for the voter approved land purchase of $980,000 at the April 2008 election.

On December 2 the school board will convene a Truth and Taxation Hearing at 7:00 p.m. in the high school media center. This is an opportunity for tax payers to hear an explanation of the various school district tax levies. This hearing may be continued to the regular board meeting on December 16, if necessary, to answer further questions. The board will approve its final tax levy either on December 2 or December 16.

Welcome to New School Year

Welcome to the start of the 2008-09 school year. We are anxiously looking forward to the return of our students.

Please note that starting and dismissal times have changed slightly. These changes will allow us to more efficiently utilize our staff and facilities.

Start Dismissal
Elementary 8:10a 2:35p
Middle School 8:02a 2:55a
High School 8:02a 2:50p

Have a great school year!

On June 9 the school board sold the bonds for the land purchase that were authorized in the April election at an interest rate of 3.9%. We should have the proceeds of the sale by about July 10. We will begin closing on the three parcels right after that.

The board is discussing how to manage the structures on the properties. The options are: 1) sell them to be moved from the site; 2) rent them out; or 3) rent the Lundeen property and sell the structures to be moved from the Althoff property.

We could relieve the parking problems around the campus if we could put in a gravel parking lot on the site located so it would accommodate the future building. The architect's estimate for gravel and grading is somewhere between $20K and $100K, which is currently out of reach unless we would have a successful sale of the properties.

School Board Discusses Outcome of Election

The school board held a special meeting on May 5 to discuss the outcome of the April 22 election. The board discussed several options regarding what to do with the buildings on the land that is being purchased. One option would be to rent out the two sites that contain houses. The second option is to put the buildings up for sale to be removed from the site.

The bond sale for the $980,000 purchase that was authorized by the election is tentatively scheduled for June 9. The closing on the property will follow in mid-July. The board will continue to discuss what to do with the structures in the meantime.

The board also discussed the future directions regarding the overcrowding that is taking place in all three buildings. The consensus of the board is not to set a timetable to re-introduce the need for a new school to the voters. It was noted that this does not alleviate the overcrowding issues that are especially acute in the high school and middle school. The administration will need to prepare options to managing the negative impact that overcrowding can have on academic excellence.

Some options that are currently being discussed include the following: The high school is short on science classrooms. This problem will be further exasperated in the near future when the state requires additional credits of science. One solution to this is to create a 0 hour or early bird period for certain classes to begin before the regular school day at 7:00 a.m. Shared facilities with the middle school, such as music are at maximum capacity. This could lead to a change in the philosophy of not limiting the number of students in choirs. The cafeteria, another shared space with the middle school, is more than full, which could lead to three lunch periods for the high school, which would mean an earlier or later lunch schedule. The high school has some space issues relative to housing certain special education programs that we foresee beginning in 2009.

The middle school may begin utilizing the auditorium for social studies classes as enrollment continues to increase. This is the only available space during the school day. There will be one less section of 5th grade in 08-09 due to a smaller class, which will allow one room to be available for at least one year. This space may be utilized for general music classes.

A major issue that impacts both the middle school and high school is parking. There are approximately 250 spaces allocated to students. That number has not changed since the reconstruction projected was completed in 2002 and there were approximately 293 juniors and seniors. This year there are about 385 juniors and seniors plus sophomores who gained drivers licenses during the school year. Next year there will be more than 400 juniors and seniors. To make room for staff and visitor parking next year the number of student permits will probably be limited to fewer than the 250 spaces that have been allocated. More of the public has an interest in accessing the Tiger Activity Center during the day, which further stresses parking.

The elementary will begin converting its multi-purpose rooms to classrooms, which leads to a loss of meeting space, space for book fairs, art fairs and other events. As sections are added stress is placed on the gym for physical education. There will be one added section of 4th grade in 2008-09 due to a larger class than this year. Early childhood programs housed at the elementary may move to the Community Education Building in the future.

The district will continue to assess and address the facilities issues with our focus statement always in mind: “Educational Excellence is our Foremost Goal.”

Question One Passes

Question one passed on a vote of 1782 to 1304 and question two failed by a vote of 1388 to 1694. 3092 of 6639 registered voters voted for a 46.5% turnout.

The sale of the bonds in the amount of $980,000 for the land is tentatively scheduled for June 9. The district will receive the proceeds from the sale of the bonds in mid-July at which time the district will close on the sale of the adjacent properties.

The board will be discussing what to do with the structures on the property until such time the property is needed for a school building. There are several options: 1) sell the structures and have them removed from the premises; 2) put the two houses up for rent.

Voter turn out was very good for an election held away from the general election. The Delano Vote Yes Committee, and Lisa Sequin and Amy Johnson in particular, deserve lots of credit for their efforts in informing the voters and getting out the vote on April 22. Thank you very much for your hard work.

Polling Places

The polling places for the election on April 22 are as follows:

Delano Middle School for residents of the City of Delano, Rockford Township, Franklin Township and Woodland Township.

Loretto Fire Station for residents of the Cities of Corcoran, Greenfield, Loretto, Medina and Minnetrista.

Independence City Hall for residents of the City of Independence.

Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Land Purchase

I have had several people ask if the purchase agreements were negotiated today would the cost be lower?

We don't know that for sure, which could result in another appraisal and that would be an added expense.

Secondly, if the strategy was to vote this down and try to re-negotiate the purchase agreements that would require another election. The cost to run an election can approximate $18,000 which includes the cost of the judges, printing of ballots, required mailings, etc.

Third, a small reduction in the cost of the land may not have an appreciable affect on the tax impact. The $980,000 purchase price has an estimated tax impact of $1.66 per month on the average tax valued home of $272,500.

I would like to explain K. dufur's question regarding why a 4-6 elementary is being proposed to relieve crowding at the middle school/high school: The 60 member facility advisory committee that met last school year determined that this was the most economical, efficient solution that met the long term needs of the district. The plan is to move 5th-6th out of the 5-12 complex freeing space there. The high school will migrate to the middle school over time.

Building a high school was considered. But the committee and school board recognized the cost in the $50M range plus the need to acquire 40-50 acres off-site somewhere to meet state standards as a proposition that was too expensive.

Also, this proposal calls for additional science and music space. We are running short on science labs to meet the demand. Plus science requirements are increasing in the future which will require more science space.

This proposal was developed by taxpayers in the school district, so taxpayers were very well represented and considered when the Facility Advisory Committee developed the recommendation.

I would like to thank everyone who is posting on my blog. This is another communications tool in my effort to keep the residents of the school district informed. I will address several issues that have arisen in the previous blogs.

1) The cost breakdown for the 4-6 building is detailed on my website http://www.delano.k12.mn.us/docs/district/dist__office/4-6_bldg_cost_brkdown.pdf

The architect, Architects Regal + Youngquist, make these estimates based on their best knowledge of material and labor costs. There is a $632,516 contingency fund, which is normal for these projects, to cover unexpected costs including estimating errors.

2) The total estimated operating costs for the 4-6 building are $566,129. This includes two secretaries, one media center para, one computer lab support for a total of $203,342. The costs for utilities, snow removal, lawn maintenance, garbage hauling health and safety, property insurance and custodians is estimated at $362,787. Again this totals $566,129 and will be covered by the operating levy that was passed in November. Remember also, the board has not levied for that yet.

3) The board is addressing the operating efficiencies of all the facilities with an energy savings project that is being worked on now. The district entered into an energy savings project with Energy Services Group (ESG). ESG has completed a review of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and has started upgrades to them as well as lighting and other energy issues. This is paid for through guaranteed energy savings by ESG as well as alternative facility bonds that will be paid for through existing state approved health & safety and deferred maintenance levies.

4) There was a comment about the taxes in Delano compared to other districts. The school board has very little discretion in the amount it taxes. The legislature determines basic funding levels and mandates services schools must perform. Voter approved levies, like bond issues and operating levies, are needed all across the state for schools to operate. One of the biggest variables among school districts in terms of the amount of property tax paid is based on the taxable market value of the property. Property values in Delano are relatively good, which is a positive reflection on the community (and school) but reflect on property tax bills. I have a document titled "Fourteen Reasons Why Property Taxes Vary from Year to Year" put out by the Association of Counties and League of Cities. If anyone would like a copy I would be glad to email it.

4) Regarding performance pay for teachers: Delano schools is one of about 37 schools that are participating in the state's Quality Compensation Plan which ties teacher pay to student performance, teacher training and other duties carried out by teachers. Most of this is paid for by the state.

5) District costs regarding informing voters: The district will be mailing an informational brochure to all residents on March 3, provided the printer gets it done on time. That brochure can be accessed on my website http://www.delano.k12.mn.us/docs/district/dist__office/Brochure_for_website.pdf
The district has a duty to inform voters of what is being voted on and the brochure is one means to accomplish that. State law requires the district to mail to every registered voter a legal notice regarding the election. That notice will be mailed, as required by state law, between March 24 and April 7, 2008.
No district funds can be used in supporting any vote yes committees, nor will they.

Thank you for your posts.

Delano Election April 22, 2008

Delano Schools will be holding a bond referendum on April 22, 2008. The first question will be for the acquisition of a 13 acre school site adjacent to the existing campus in an amount not to exceed $980,000.

The second question will be for the construction of a 4-6 elementary building in an amount not to exceed $27,295,000.

Check my website http://www.delano.k12.mn.us/ for updated details. If you have other questions please post them here and I will answer them.

Thank you.