Tuesday Tidbits and Friday Facts
Social Media Informational Posts
We will be sharing information with our community each week via social media to help them make an informed decision regarding the referendum. You can read each of them here.
9/27 – What are the options if the referendum doesn’t pass?
At last night’s Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Esther Mongan shared a presentation addressing questions received from the community: “What would happen if the upcoming referendum does not pass?” This presentation outlines the possible options and their potential impacts on our schools, students, and community if the referendum fails.
We strongly encourage you to review the full presentation by clicking the link below.
Options if Referendum Fails Presentation
Miss any Tuesday Tidbit or Friday Facts? Click here
LINK: https://central301.net/referendum-november-2024/tuesday-tidbits-and-friday-facts/
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9/20 – A Timeline of Enrollment Growth and Expansion
This timeline highlights Central 301’s steady enrollment growth over the past 40 years, along with consistent expansions to meet the needs of our students and community. Since 2006, our enrollment has increased by 98%—almost doubling from 2,594 students in 2006 to 5,070 students today.
However, despite this growth, we haven’t opened a new school in the last 17 years and now we’re facing capacity challenges that aren’t well-remedied by another expansion. This November, the community will be asked to vote on a referendum to address enrollment challenges at all grade levels.
9/17 – Why do we need CTE (Career and Technical Education)?
Did you know that CTE is an essential part of our curriculum? Under Illinois law, school districts are required to offer CTE programs for middle and high school students to help develop practical skills and prepare “for high-skill, high-wage, in-demand employment that furthers Illinois’ global competitiveness … All students benefit from career-connected learning that emphasizes real-world skills within a selected career focus. Students gain practical knowledge while discovering and preparing for success in potential careers.” -Illinois State Board of Education
Building a new high school and using CHS as a unified middle school provides the space for us to offer more real-world learning opportunities that align with the needs of today’s workforce.
- Learn more about the importance of CTE to our students: https://www.isbe.net/cte
- Learn more about the November 5 Referendum on our website: https://central301.net/referendum-november-2024/
9/13 – If the referendum is approved, when would the new high school and newly renovated buildings be ready?
If the referendum is approved, the new high school would take approximately 2.5 years to complete. The project would begin in the spring of 2025 and we would expect most of the site work, particularly related to sports fields and overall site improvements, to be completed by the spring of 2028. By spring/summer of 2028, all necessary furniture, equipment, and school-related items would be installed to ensure the building is fully prepared for students and staff when it opens.
Under this scenario, renovations would be completed within the same timeframe for the conversion of Prairie Knolls Middle School to an additional elementary school, Central Middle School to an early childhood center, and the current Central High School to a single, unified middle school for the District. We would continue to use the existing buildings while renovations were being completed, with much of the needed work taking place during the summers. All four buildings would be ready for students at the start of the 2028-2029 academic year.
For more information about the November 5 Referendum, click here!
9/10 – Will we need another referendum to pay for staff?
No, the District plans to pay for additional staff without any need for a second referendum. If the building referendum is approved, the District will move existing instructional staff into the new/newly renovated facilities. The District does anticipate the need to hire additional maintenance and food service staff if the referendum is approved, but the District can absorb these expenses without the need to pass a second referendum. The District plans to utilize evidence-based funding from the state (which increased significantly this year) and additional tax dollars generated by housing growth in the District to pay for any additional support staff.
Check out the diagram below to see the redistribution of existing staff and students in the event the referendum is approved.
9/6 – If the referendum is approved, will my property taxes be impacted?
Yes. To minimize the impact, the District would structure the bond debt so payment on the new bonds would begin when current bonds are paid off. Additionally, new state legislation would allow the District to repay the bonds over a 30-year-period, rather than 20 years. If your home has a “fair cash value” (as determined by the tax assessor) of $407,000*, and you claim a homestead exemption, the increase would be approximately $116 per year. If you have additional exemptions available to you, the increase would be less. These calculations are based on financing the bond debt at current interest rates; if interest rates decrease in the future, the District would consider refinancing options to reduce the cost further.
(*Per RSP Associates, the Median Home Value in the District is $406,928).
Here is a tax calculator tool to allow you to estimate the impact of an approved referendum on your property taxes.
9/4 – Can we add on to PKMS?
The original plans for PKMS did include an option to add additional classrooms to the academic hallways on the north side of the building. An addition to PKMS would create more classrooms that could be used for core content classes. However, an addition would create some challenges and would not provide the additional space that an increased enrollment would require, such as for physical education, art, music, and career and technical education programs. This would limit the educational opportunities our middle schoolers would have available to them.
As we look ahead, the District’s goal is to find a solution that ensures our students have the space, resources, and educational opportunities they need to thrive.