Facilities Master Planning

Facilities:

Goal:  The Windham School Board will continue to execute the Facilities Master Plan to add educational space and expand athletic facilities in a fiscally responsible manner. A proposed solution of 7/8 grade school will be presented to voters in March, 2013. Click here to view the School Board presentation for the March 2013 ballot. Click here to see the estimated tax impact by home value.

Background

In the last decade, the population in Windham has grown in excess of 25%.This general town growth has resulted in significant student population growth in our schools resulting in four of our five schools operating well beyond their educational capacity (core and classroom space).

Facilities Master Planning

Over the past several years, Windham voters have supported efforts to develop a Facilities Master Plan.These efforts have involved community representatives, School Board members, building and district administrators, and hired professionals.The Committee examined all of our facilities and identified the following problems and solutions:

Problem:

• The most significant issue facing the Windham School District today is capacity. As four of our five schools are currently well over educational capacity, and population estimates over the next 10-20 year period take total K-12 population from today's 2,650 students to just over 3,100 students.
• Windham Middle School is approved as an Elementary School as opposed to a Middle School based on the lack of adequate science labs, consumer science and technology education.
• Golden Brook School will eventually need a renovation and addition.
• The athletic fields at the High School are not complete.

10 Year Phased Solution:

• Build classroom and core space capacity for approximately 3,100 students.
• Offer an approved middle school curriculum.
• Renovate and build an addition to GBS.
• Finish High School Fields.

Reports from this Committee are available below:
 

School Board Presentation for March, 2013 Ballot (PDF)

Tax Impact Information by Home Value (PDF)

Frequently Asked Questions on the New 7/8th Grade School (PDF)

WSB Facilities Discussion Presentation- 11-5-12  (PDF)

Facilities Options- October 2012 (PDF)

WSD Capacity Report Summary

WSD Capacity Study 2012-2016

WSD Community Survey Results Report-Final

WSD 2012 Community Survey Results Presentation

Previous Reports

Facilites Master Plan School Board Presentation 6-20-2011 (PDF)

Facilities Master Plan Spring 2011 Comprehensive Report (PDF)

Facilities Master Plan Appendix FG -05-16-2011 (PDF)

Facilities Master Plan Appendix H - 05-16-2011 (PDF)

Facilities Master Plan Appendix I -05-16-2011(PDF)

Facilities Master Plan Progress Report 1-6-2012 (PDF)

Time Line

Prior to 2005

• Windham recognizes the Town’s growing student population and develops a Facilities Plan. 
• The Planning Committee identifies a new Middle School as a community need in the near future. 
• However, it is at this time that it becomes apparent that Windham will need to build a high school.  (Windham students then tuitioned to nearby Salem High School under an Area Agreement that is expiring.)
• Land on London Bridge Road is chosen, as there is sufficient acreage for both a High School and a Middle School on that site.

March 2005

• Bond passes to purchase land on London Bridge Road and construct Windham’s first high school.

2007

• The State of New Hampshire mandates public kindergarten to be offered in all districts.  Windham does not currently offer a kindergarten program and has until the 2009-2010 school year to comply.

August 2008

• Windham High School opens with freshman and sophomore classes (juniors and seniors continue to attend Salem High School and graduate from Salem High School).

August 2009

• As Windham does not have classroom capacity to offer a kindergarten program, Windham receives monies for portable classrooms from the State with a three-year lease in order to offer public kindergarten. 

August 2009

• The School Board proposes funding for a formal Facilities Master Plan to the Windham Capital Improvement Program (CIP) The plan is to evaluate the District’s schools and forecast student population and develop a 10-15 year Facilities Master Plan (FMP) for Windham. 
• The determine amount for this study is $300,000, which will be funded over two years.

March 2010

• $160,000 for the first half of the Facilities Master Plan is approved by the voters.  Lavallee Bresinger is hired to lead the facilities master planning effort.

November 2010

• Recognizing Windham’s over capacity issues, Windham takes advantage of the only state building aid that is available which is for Kindergarten projects.
• Kindergarten addition to GBS is added to the list of Warrant Articles for the March 2011 ballot.

December 2010

• Facilities Planning Committee presents findings from the first half of the study.

March 2011

• $140,000 for the second half of the Facilities Master Plan is approved by the voters.
• Monies for construction of a permanent kindergarten wing at Golden Brook School ($2.9 million, one time cost – not bonded, $900,000 from local taxation due to state funding) is approved by the voters.

June 2011

• Facilities Master Planning Committee presents their final report to the School Board.

July 2011

• State changes funding for kindergarten projects.  Windham will only receive, $1M – less than anticipated.

August 2011

• CIP committee allocates $711,000 of CIP funds to continue forward with the Facilities Master Plan.

October 4, 2011

• School District Special Meeting is held to decrease the amount of money appropriated for the Kindergarten in order to uphold the promised amount of $900,000 local taxation.  Approved by the voters.

Fall  2011

• School Board completes their due diligence in reviewing the Facilities Master Plan (FMP) by meeting with district administrators, working with architect and engineering professionals, and consulting a second opinion from the Turner Group.
• Based on this review, the School Board directs their attention to a new 7th/8th Grade Building at London Bridge Road vs. an addition to the current Middle School based on:
  • future expandability (new could be expanded in the future if needed vs. addition could not be expanded),
  • cost (new vs. addition are about the same)
  • location (new creates a campus environment with the high school and sharing of facilities).

December 8, 2011

• The Trident Group and the Turner Group present their findings in a Public Forum.
• Turner Group agrees with Lavallee Bresinger’s estimated costs of the addition.
• Turner Group presents conceptual drawings of 7th/8th building on London Bridge Road.
• Public input encouraged.

January 17, 2012

• Public Hearing to present the fiscal year 2013 budget and to preview the warrant articles to be discussed at the Deliberative Session.
• Update on Facilities Master Plan.
• Public input encouraged.

February 10, 2012

• Deliberative Session.
• Warrant Article Two addresses the Architect and Engineering Fees for the 7th/8th Grade Building.
  • Shall the Windham School District vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $714,000 (seven hundred and fourteen thousand dollars) for architect and engineering fees to prepare drawings and to develop a guaranteed maximum price contract for a grade 7 and 8 school on London Bridge Road? Construction of this project will not commence without future action by the voters.

March 13, 2012

• Voting Day.  Warrant Article Two fails.

June 2012

• First graduating class from Windham High School

July 2012

• Preschool facility opens at Windham High School

August 2012

• Kindergarten addition opens

March 2013

• School District Ballot includes proposed 7/8th Grade School and Turf Fields