School Board Approves $88M Bond Proposal for August 2023

Dear Berkley Schools Community,

Today, I’m writing to you about an upcoming ballot initiative that, if approved, would provide upgrades to our facilities District-wide, and would impact every TK-12 student, every day. Yesterday, at the April 10th, 2023, Regular Meeting, the Board of Education approved the ballot measure for $88 million to invest in District-wide classroom furniture, multi-purpose additions at all elementary schools, performing arts upgrades and additions, athletics upgrades and additions, District-wide technology upgrades, and more. The election will be on August 8, 2023.

Why are we adding a ballot initiative now? It’s time that our facilities matched our award-winning programming.

The 2015 Bond primarily tackled urgent issues behind our walls and floors. It provided air conditioning and upgraded air filtration, which proved beneficial during the global pandemic. It added additions and classroom upgrades in crucial areas for all schools. It provided enhanced security measures. But, it wasn’t able to provide new furniture District-wide. It wasn’t able to upgrade our athletics and performing arts spaces. It wasn’t able to provide multi-purpose spaces for all our buildings. And while it did provide upgraded technology at the time, it is now eight years later, and time for another tech upgrade. The 2015 Bond work is complete. It’s time to finish the scope that was established in 2014. It’s time our facilities matched our award-winning programming.

The 2023 Bond would touch every TK-12 classroom, many of our community spaces, and provide the opportunity for a full upgrade to our student and staff daily experiences. The longer the Bond initiative is not placed on the ballot, the longer the work to improve all spaces is delayed.

Here are the highlights of the plan:

• New furniture for all classrooms, TK-12, District-wide, including specialized furniture where needed to support students with special needs
• New media center furniture for all schools except BHS and Anderson, which received upgrades in the 2015 Bond work
• Replacing current interactive projectors in each classroom with flat panel interactive monitors
• Renovating the BHS science wing labs: work stations, gas, plumbing, storage, classroom flow
• New multi-purpose / cafeteria additions at Angell, Burton, Pattengill and Rogers
• Updating the performing arts wing at Berkley High School:
  • New black box theatre addition: a choir classroom during the day, multi-purpose performance/rehearsal space after hours and instrument storage commons area
  • New addition on the lobby of the Performing Arts Center (auditorium), doubling the space for ease of flow and to create another multi-purpose space for the school community
  • Complete renovation of the Performing Arts Center (auditorium): new seating, sound, lighting, finishes, moving the control booth to the main floor, new curtain system, updates to backstage rooms and new storage
  • Renovating band and orchestra rooms: remove concrete risers in orchestra room and remove instrument lockers in both, plus new furniture and finishes
• Updating athletics facilities and more District-wide:
  • New 75-yard indoor field house for training/practice across from the high school on Catalpa: divider system to create separation between groups, restrooms, robotics build & practice spaces, multi-use spaces, additional parking. The field house would be used by athletics teams, physical education classes, marching band, robotics, and community groups.
  • New outdoor fields north of the field house: 120-Yard artificial turf field and a natural turf field
  • Remodeling gymnasiums for all elementary and middle schools: flooring, lighting, fixtures, equipment
  • Hurley Field updates: new LED lighting, expanded parking lot, new locations for shot put and long jump, renovations to the team rooms
    • Plans are underway to replace/upgrade the turf, track, restrooms, concession area, sound system and press box at Hurley Field using District Sinking Fund dollars beginning in 2023-2024.
  • Upgrades to the BHS pool: new chemical system, new starting blocks and dive stand, tile replacements, ADA upgrades, office upgrade, new sound system, HVAC, acoustics
  • Additional baseball, softball and multi-purpose fields are planned to be upgraded with Sinking Fund dollars and potential city partners

We have created a website to include all the bond details, the cost, frequently asked questions and the ballot language. You can find the details on our website, www.berkleyschools.org/bond. As a District, we will continue to share information about the proposed Bond work in our newsletters, website, social media sites and at many upcoming meetings.

What would the Bond cost?

$88,000,000 equates to a 2.25 mill increase which would be collected starting in 2024. This is 2.25 mills on the taxable value of a home, not the total value. An example: A home worth $200,000 typically has a taxable value of $100,000. 2.25 mills levied on this home would cost $225/year, before any income tax considerations. Ultimately, this Bond would cost on average less than a dollar a day.

Here are key dates for the election:

• Ballot Language Adoption by Board of Education, April 10, 2023
• Absentee Ballots Ready, June 29, 2023
• Last Day to Register to Vote, August 8, 2023
• Last Day to Pick Up an Absentee Ballot, August 8, 2023
• Election Day, August 8, 2023

Here are upcoming meetings where you can learn more:

• April 12: BHS PTA Meeting, 7 pm
• May 2: Burton PTA Meeting, 7 pm
• May 9: Angell, Pattengill, Rogers, Norup and AMS PTA Meetings, 7 pm
• May 10: BBB Parent Connections Meeting, 9 am
• May 15: Community Informational Meeting, Rogers Elementary School (2265 Hamilton, Berkley) Gymnasium, 7 pm

I look forward to sharing more about this Bond proposal with you over the next months. I encourage you to take time to look through all the details on our Bond webpage as well. If you have any additional questions, please send them to communications@berkleyschools.org.

As always, I am grateful for our school community and to be a part of the community.

Sincerely,

Scott Francis
Superintendent
Berkley Schools