What if we win?
The School District will:
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Reconfigure school entrances and front office spaces to improve building security.
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Replace school building windows and generators and electrical service to improve function and energy efficiency at several schools
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Update aging science labs.
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Remodel and repurpose Industrial Technology Education areas to better meet current industry standards.
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Provide each high school student (grades 9-12) with access to a mobile computer.
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Provide increased computer access for all elementary and middle school students. All elementary and middle school students will receive mobile computers at a ratio of one computer for every 4 students
What if we lose?
Well, it's not pretty. We go backwards. Backwards in terms of safe facilities, backwards in terms of energy savings, and backwards in terms of our students' education. And, AASD will need to come with a referendum again in the near future.
What happens if Question 1 passes and Question 2 does not, or, vice versa?
This is very important to understand. Passing Question 1 and not passing Question 2 would be like buying a new car and never replacing the tires.
Question 1 will provide funding for essential technology items and other equipment. For instance, about 50% of the classrooms in the AASD have ceiling projectors. Question 1 will provide projectors for the balance of classrooms. Question 2 will then allow for the upkeep of this key teaching tool. It would be a waste of an investment, let alone a disruption to learning if the equipment funded by Question 1 was not maintained or replaced when obsolete or in need of upgrade.
To use the car analogy one more time, if Question 2 passes and Question 1 does not, it would be like spending money on a great set of tires and not have a car to put them on.
The two questions are of equal priority; however, by law, they need to be separated as they represent two different types of budgetary impacts. It is important that the community understands the connection with making facility and equipment improvements now through Question #1 and sustaining this initial investment through annual funding addressed in Question #2.
Please remember to vote Yes for both referendum questions.
NUTS AND BOLTS REFERENDUM FAQs
How did we get here?
Significant reductions in state aids have resulted in deferred maintenance, obsolete technology and delayed installation of safety and security measures. Additionally, state aid has been directed towards property tax relief, thereby shifting funding allocated for education AWAY from local school districts.
What have we done?
The Appleton Area School District is a low spending, high performing school district.
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Spends $450 less per student than the state average.
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Out paces state averages in ACT scores, Advanced Placement Course performance, and graduation rates
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Meets or exceeds state averages on state administered achievement exams at all grade levels.
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Reduced energy costs by $6.1 million since 2005.
Additional FAQs by category
Referendum Development
How were referendum recommendations determined?
Referendum projects were developed over several years with input from the community, teachers, staff, parents, and local industry leaders. A lot of background work lead to our referendum recommendations which include the following:
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Facilities
Site teams reviewed and identified capital project needs in the areas of Enrollment Growth, Facility, Equity, Instructional Programming, Maintenance, and Safety. A safety audit of all school sites was completed in partnership with Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC).
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Technology and Today’s Learner
In 2011, Classrooms of the Future, a District wide committee comprised of staff, parents, Board members, and students, developed recommendations on how to best utilize technology as an instructional tool and a learning tool for students.
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STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Manufacturing)
Partnerships with FVTC and local industry have guided the plans to update equipment and instructional spaces in the STEM areas.
Will you come back with another referendum if one or both questions fail?
Yes. Strong schools are an essential component to a strong community. This referendum addresses essential needs of our schools. It is essential that we:
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maintain our community’s investment in our 27 schools with a focus on school safety and energy
efficiency projects;
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provide equitable technology access for students and teachers as a tool for teaching and learning;
and,
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update instructional spaces to keep pace with the needs of today’s learner as they move forward in their education and career pathways.
School districts are provided the referendum process to address essential projects of this magnitude.
Voting Day
When will the referendum voting take place?
Tuesday, February 18th, 2014.
How is the referendum worded?
Question #1 - Facilities, Safety, Infrastructure
Shall the Appleton Area School District, Outagamie, Calumet and Winnebago Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to issue pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $25,000,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of reconfiguring building entrances and classroom spaces to improve building security and function; updating science and industrial technology education classrooms; purchasing instructional technology for student use; replacing school building windows, generators and electrical service to improve function and energy efficiency; and constructing additional space to meet school operational needs?
Question #2 - Today's Classroom
Shall the Appleton Area School District, Outagamie, Calumet and Winnebago Counties, Wisconsin be authorized to exceed the revenue limit specified in Section 121.91, Wisconsin Statutes, for the 2014-2015 school year and thereafter by $5,000,000 for recurring purposes: ongoing school building maintenance projects; replacement of inoperable technology; and staff positions to support technology training?
Why hold a referendum on February 18th?
It was decided to hold the referendum in February because it will allow for the necessary time to prepare and accomplish most of the projects by the start of the 2014-2015 school year. This timeline will limit the disruption to students, parents, and staff while school is in session.
Referendum Projects
What projects does the referendum include?
The projects included in the referendum reflect essential needs of our schools. These needs have been identified in the areas of facilities and technology improvements.
Updates to school facilities include making improvements to school security, adding instructional space and improving existing space. Classrooms that use technology will be updated and students will have increased access to technology to enhance their learning.
What Safety Improvements will be made at the School Facilities?
Safety improvements include reconfiguring entrance and office areas in thirteen schools to ensure increased security and entrance control during the school day. Shall the Appleton Area School District, Outagamie,
What technology changes / improvements will be made if the referendum passes?
Bringing equity to the technology available in the 900 instructional spaces across the District is a top priority of Question #1. A mounted ceiling projector, computer speakers, and wireless keyboard and mouse will be supplied in all instructional spaces. High school students (grades 9 -12) will have access to a mobile device. In addition, all elementary and middle school students will have increased computer access at a ratio of 1 device for every 4 students in grades 3-8. Teachers will also receive additional training and support to use technology as a tool for classroom
instruction.
What other facility improvements will be made?
Outdated and aging science labs and industrial technology education spaces at six schools will be remodeled to improve student learning in a safe classroom environment. Multi-purpose rooms will be added to two schools to meet current student enrollment needs. Other improvements include reconfiguring instructional areas to make better use of space, installing energy efficient windows to improve functionality and save on utility costs, and additional building projects to maintain the community’s investment in our 27 school facilities.
Financial
What will the referendum cost? What will this do to my property taxes?
If both questions are approved, the impact to the owner of a $150,000 home would be $118.50 per year or $9.87 per month. This is an investment that won’t be gone tomorrow; it will pay dividends for years to come!
What will the $5 million yearly budget increase (contained in Question #2) cover?
We need to be proactive with a plan to address future needs in order to see students thrive in an updated and safe environment for years to come. The increase in budget will cover a replacement cycle for inoperable technology, ongoing technology training for staff and additional annual funding for building maintenance projects at all 27 schools. Improvements include reconfiguring entrance and office areas in thirteen schools to ensure increased security and entrance control during the school day. Shall the Appleton Area School District, Outagamie,
Why didn't the district budget for larger facility projects?
Ongoing budgetary constraints have not allowed us to tackle the larger facilities projects addressed in the referendum. Over the years, the District maintenance budget has been reduced as the District has made it a priority to protect teaching positions and student programs. We are at the point where several larger projects need to be completed to continue to maintain our 27 school sites and ensure we are able to deliver our curriculum effectively.
Miscellaneous
Why can't students use their own personal mobile devices?
Technology is playing a larger role in supporting classroom instruction. Our goal is to provide an equitable learning environment for all students and unfortunately, not every student has access to a mobile device. Providing students with the necessary technology will enhance their learning and better prepare them for the next phase of their education. In addition, providing students with the same type of device will aid teachers in their instruction and will allow for consistent information access.