School board adopts facilities master plan

After eight months of research, debate and a fair share of controversy, Douglas County school board members voted 5-2 on Tuesday night to adopt their $200,000 facilities master plan developed by MGT of America.

Board member Karen Chessell and Sharla Hales cast the two nay votes.

"For me, I can't vote to approve until we have that fidelity," said Hales.

Hales was referring to the plan's faithfulness to the Keep Improving Douglas Schools Campaign priority list developed during the continuation bond campaign of 2008.

"What we ought to have a document that gives assurances to the public that nothing in the master plan is inconsistent with the KIDS priority list," Hales said.

Chessell voted against adoption for a different reason. As part of the motion, the board had requested five more additions to the plan including incorporation with the KIDS recommendations, a list of pros and cons regarding middle school consolidation, and a map of the district's facilities, among others.

"I'm inclined to vote no on this," Chessell said. "I feel like they (MGT) have done what they said they were going to do, and that it's a finished product and we need to move forward."

The final plan calls for three phases over the next 10 years totaling about $58 million.

Phase 1 would include renovating and expanding Pinon Hills, Meneley, Gardnerville and Jacks Valley elementary schools.

Phase 2 would entail renovating Douglas High School to accommodate incoming ninth-graders, closing one middle school, and renovating the other for the Valley's seventh- and eighth-grade students. In addition, one elementary school in the Valley would be converted into a kindergarten-eighth-grade school, while the closed middle school would be used for administrative offices, professional development, alternative education and a possible career and technical education center.

Phase 3 would consist of converting Whittell High School at the Lake into a kindergarten-12th-grade school, and renovating Scarselli Elementary in the Valley.

Although the plan recommends closing Zephyr Cove Elementary School at the Lake, it doesn't specify which middle school to close in the Valley and which elementary school to convert into the K-8 school.

MGT has repeatedly said more site studies are needed for those decisions, though their cost estimates assume Carson Valley Middle School would be closed and Jacks Valley Elementary School converted.

"Either make a recommendation which site to close or list the pros and cons of each site and let the board decide," Board Vice President Tom Moore told MGT. "From a facility standpoint, one site will better serve as a middle school, and the amount of homework done is enough to make an educated decision."

Moore said he was confused by MGT making "facility" choices at the Lake but not in the Valley. MGT, though, maintained the plan is a "high level" assessment and that more studies are needed at the Valley middle school level. However, MGT did agree to provide a list of pros and cons regarding each site for future consolidation.

Board member Randy Green asked how the K-8 school would work, in terms of enrollment and attendance boundaries.

MGT Senior Partner Edward Humble suggested the school first be opened to students in the surrounding attendance zone, then eventually opened up to students elsewhere in the Valley through an application process. If the school becomes too popular, he said, a lottery system may be appropriate.

"What evidence do you have that we'd actually fill the seventh- and eighth-grades at the K-8 school?" Hales asked.

"We've heard from individuals and students," said Humble. "It's not overwhelming, but it's an option people are interested in. We thought it would be a good option in a district that values offering a wide variety of programs for students."

Chief Financial Officer Holly Luna said if the K-8 model doesn't work in the future, the money allocated for it in phase 2 would go into renovating a middle school facility for all students.

Luna said the middle school choice will come down to what site best suits the educational needs of seventh- and eighth-graders.

"It's really going to be a cultural shift rather than a monetary shift," she said. "You're going to shift costs one way or the other. Everything you could say are pros on one side could be pros on the other. It really comes down to what you require of your seventh- and eighth-grade program."

While board members raised concerns about changes in transportation for parents, especially those in the north end of the Valley, MGT pointed out that the closed middle school site would still be used for alternative education, career and technical education and other programs for students.

In regards to the master plan's compatibility with the KIDS Committee, Luna said she would create a document to preface the plan that incorporates the two initiatives and includes the committee's priority list and completed projects.

"I need to articulate it from a district perspective," said Luna. "We can do a management-style letter attached to the plan, but I don't think it's appropriate to make MGT responsible for dovetailing. I think it's our responsibility."

"We just need to document the process," said Moore.