The Noblesville Board of School Trustees and Noblesville Superintendent Dr. Libbie Conner held 12 public forums in November and December to discuss the challenges faced by Noblesville Schools and the various solutions address those challenges. Those questions have been consolidated into the "Frequently Asked Questions" listed below.

Please send your additional questions to: noblesvilleschools@gmail.com

General Questions on the Projects

1. What are the projects being proposed?

The board and administration are proposing the following components: closing Forest Hill Elementary School and building a new seventh elementary school on Promise Road; additions and renovations to Hazel Dell Elementary School, North Elementary School, Stony Creek Elementary School, and White River Elementary School; renovations to incorporate the former Tri-County Education Center into Hinkle Creek Elementary School; additions and renovations to Noblesville Intermediate School to convert it to a grade 6-8 middle school; renovations to Noblesville Middle School to improve safety and security; and renovations and additions to Noblesville High School to add science lab rooms, health classrooms, and additional PE locker rooms.

2. Why is the board proposing these projects?

Noblesville Schools and the City of Noblesville have experienced considerable growth over the last decade. In the fall of 2000, there were 6,429 students enrolled in Noblesville Schools. In September 2009, that number had grown to 8,964. Our two middle level buildings - Noblesville Intermediate School and Noblesville Middle School - each have a capacity of 1,400 students and both will exceed capacity in the next two years. That number does not include further growth but is based on the number of students enrolled in the lower grade levels now who will be moving into those buildings. The board has proposed the projects to create adequate space in our elementary schools to allow 5th graders to stay in our elementary schools. We would then divide students in grades 6-8 into two middle schools. The renovations at Noblesville High School are included to create space for increased enrollment in classes that have specific space requirements (laboratories and PE).

How does the plan now under consideration address the increase in enrollment we have already experienced and how will it address likely future increases?

The plan calls for expansions at most elementary schools to include space for fifth graders and potentially full day kindergarten. If the plan is approved by the voters, all elementary schools will be nearly equal in their capacity for students and will facilitate similar program and support offerings in each school. An advantage to keeping the same number (seven) of elementary schools as we now have is that we will avoid the additional administrative and operational costs that would be required by an additional school. It should be noted that if enrollment increases continue, however, an additional elementary school would be needed at some point in time.

Keeping the fifth grade in our elementary schools will enable fifth graders to have one more year to mature academically and socially in the elementary setting. Maximum mastery of the basic skills in reading, arithmetic and writing is essential for success in the middle school program. Further, additional time to mature socially before moving to a larger school with a whole new set and mix of students will be beneficial to all.

This plan also provides the opportunity to create a three-year middle school setting with an enrollment of 900 to 1,000 students in each of two schools. With the movement of students already enrolled in our elementary schools into middle school over the next several years, the plan calls for grades 6-8 schools with enrollments that are moderate in size.

At the high school, growth in enrollment along with increases in student course selections in advanced science courses and advanced health and physical education classes have created the need for additional space in each of these areas. With these changes, the high school facility should be fully equipped to meet the course selections of up to 2,000 students which is its designed capacity. It should be noted that concern exists about the high school's ability to house additional students should any significant growth occur within classes in the lower grades.

4. How does this project differ from the project on last January’s referendum ballot?

The January 2009 project included a new elementary, renovations/additions at North Elementary, Noblesville Intermediate School, Noblesville Middle School, the PE renovations at Noblesville High School, and money for the potential purchase of land. We have removed the money for land and decreased the size of the project at Noblesville Middle School, as well as the size of the PE renovation at Noblesville High School. We have added the additions/renovations at Hazel Dell, Hinkle Creek/Tri-County, Stony Creek and White River.


Questions on financial impact

1. What is the total cost of the proposed projects?

New Elementary	$22,000,000
Hazel Dell Elementary	$ 2,400,000
Hinkle Creek/Tri-County	$ 8,350,000
North Elementary	$ 3,425,000
Stony Creek Elementary	$ 7,425,000
White River Elementary	$ 1,000,000
Intermediate School	$ 8,750,000
Middle School	$ 2,500,000
High School	$ 7,750,000
Total Cost	$63,600,000

2. Why has the tax impact information in the forums talked about a $73 million project if the total cost is now $63 million?

When we had the initial tax impact work done, we believed we would need more work at Noblesville Middle School. We have since looked more carefully at those plans and determined that less work is needed on that building, which has reduced the cost by over $5M. Additionally, the school board and administration have held high value engineering and design as a high priority throughout the discussion of the program changes and facility analysis. When the architect design/engineering firm was selected, our first directive to them included a new space and cost analysis. Through the process, the anticipated cost and project budget has been reduced approximately $10 million from the initial estimates.

3. How is this cost funded?

When the Indiana legislature implemented property tax reform in 2008, it changed the way that public building projects, including schools, are funded and it changed how much property tax is paid. For elementary projects over $10 million or secondary school projects over $20 million, the voters in the district must approve the project in a referendum. Once approved, the corporation can then issue 20-year bonds to pay for the project. The money to repay the bonds is taxed to property owners in the district on top of the property tax cap (if the cap impacts the property).

4. Will the cost remain at highest impact the entire 20 years?

No. Beginning in 2014, other debts incurred by the school corporation, including Noblesville Middle School renovations, the building of White River Elementary and Noblesville High School, will be fully paid and will reduce the total amount of taxes needed to support the school’s debt service fund.

5. Are there other sources of funding available to the school corporation?

Indiana law divides the school budget into several funds. The general operating fund, which pays salaries, benefits and utilities, is now funded entirely from the state on a per pupil basis. The debt service fund, the capital projects fund, the transportation operating fund and bus replacement fund are all funded through local property tax collection, which is now capped through the property tax reform. The cap specifically impacts our capital projects fund, which would be used for maintenance and technology upgrades. In 2010, we anticipate that the cap will reduce the expected $10 million capital projects fund by almost $3 million. Indiana law does not permit schools to collect impact fees, such as those the city collects for parks or sewers, on new construction. The law permitting referenda on new building projects to be taxed outside the cap is the primary vehicle for funding the project. Private donors will be sought for those parts of the project which are amenable to sponsorship, but it is unlikely that significant amounts of the total cost will be funded through donation.

6. What if the project ends up costing less than the amount of the bonds?

Any funds not expended on the project go immediately to pay bonds, reducing the long term tax impact of the project.

7. What is the school’s bond rating?

A+ by Standard’s and Poors and AA+ with the state aid intercept.

8. How much did it cost to acquire the Tri-County Educational Center?

Zero dollars. The building, which was owned jointly by the seven school corporations in the Hamilton-Boone-Madison Special Education Cooperative, is being gifted to Noblesville Schools by the other six corporations as they have no need for a building in Noblesville and do not wish to spend the money to tear it down.

9. How does all of this impact the general operating fund? Will there be money to staff additional classrooms?

The building project referendum can only fund the building project – it has no impact on the general operating fund. We already employ the 5th grade teachers who will staff the added rooms in the elementary buildings. As we continue to see growth in enrollment, we will receive some additional money on a per pupil basis from the state.

It is important to note that we are proposing to expand the size of the elementary schools to make them more economically efficient. Adding an eighth elementary at this time (which will eventually be necessary if enrollment growth continues) would add almost a half million dollars in additional fixed staff costs beyond classroom teachers (including administrators, clerical staff, maintenance staff, and food services staff).

10. Why can’t the capital projects fund be used to do the maintenance aspects of several of the elementary school projects?

The capital projects fund (CPF) is funded by local property tax and is used to pay for building maintenance and technology needs. The board chose to reduce the CPF levy at the time Noblesville High School was built to offset the increase in the debt service fund and has not raised the levy to keep pace with the needs of the corporation. With the new property tax caps, Noblesville Schools will receive only $7 million of the $10 million anticipated revenue in 2010 in our CPF. Of that $7 million, almost 35 percent is used to fund technology needs across the district, including the computers used by students and teachers on a daily basis. Of the remainder, a portion has been transferred into a rainy day fund to support our transportation operating fund, which is operating in a deficit. Thus, we do not have adequate revenue to accomplish all of the mechanical renovations needed in our buildings.

Building/Construction Questions:

1. Will the renovations bring all schools up to the same level of technology?

Yes. One of the goals of the work on the buildings will be to improve the technology in the older buildings to create equity within the system. Many buildings require additional electrical wiring as well as HVAC work, not to mention technological tools, to bring them up to par with Noble Crossing or White River.

2. What is the expected useful life of a new elementary?

A new school building of any size has an expected life of at least 50 years.

3. Will you try to use local builders/contractors to keep tax money in the local economy?

We are required to bid out the project and award the contracts to the lowest qualified bidder, but we certainly hope that local builders/contractors will bid on the project.

4. Will the work be done at all the schools at the same time? How will noise and dust be contained if work is done during the school year?

Once the project is approved by the voters, the architects and contractors will develop the schedule of work. It is the board’s desire that the work be scheduled to have the least possible impact on our students and staff (i.e., over the summer). Noise and dust reduction will be important considerations for any work done during the school year.

5. Will there be increased energy efficiency by replacing the HVAC systems at Hinkle Creek and Stony Creek?

Absolutely. Both Stony Creek (built in 1968) and Hinkle Creek (built in 1980) are running on their original systems, and both will see significant improvements in efficiency with newer systems.

6. Will the new elementary be LEED certified? At what level?

The board’s goal is to make the building as efficient as possible. However, we need to assess the cost of LEED certification compared to Energy Star or other green building techniques to be cost effective in the building process as well.


Questions about the timing of the project

1. With current economic conditions/concerns, is this a good time for such massive expansion?

While the current economy is not good, the students who create the need for the middle level shift already have enrolled in Noblesville Schools. We believe that the changes in this project will set up the system to hold off future growth in K-8 for some time, certainly in grades 6-8, and will allow the district to address future enrollment needs with new elementary schools, which are less expensive than new middle level schools. Given the challenged economy, we expect very favorable bids on the projects.

2. Has the board considered doing the project in multiple phases?

The board has considered spreading out the project. Unfortunately, the needs for the space at the intermediate and middle schools are significant, as are the needs for mechanical and HVAC work at several of the elementary schools, requiring all of that work to be incorporated into the project. The enrollment in our science and PE/health classes is already being effectively capped by the limited space in which to hold those classes.

3. How long will this plan hold us before another elementary is necessary?

Using the demographic study as our best estimate, we hope that we can hold off building the eighth elementary for at least five years. If the Noblesville economy recovers more quickly, it might be sooner.

Other Option Questions

1. What other options were considered and why were they rejected?

The board has considered building two new elementary schools, but given the gift of Tri County and the additional operating costs which would come with a completely new building, that option was rejected.

Alternatively, the board could choose to accommodate growth through the use of portable classrooms at all buildings that can host portables. (Stony Creek cannot have portables, as they must be placed within 200 feet of an interior bathroom, and there is no way to do that at Stony Creek). Portables have been used and will likely be used again, but they are not a long-term solution to our growth needs.

2. How much do portable classrooms cost?

The classrooms cost approximately $50,000 each and it cost an additional $10,000 or so to place them and connect them to electricity. In addition to the monetary cost, portable classrooms have an intangible cost in lack of security.

3. What about adding the eighth graders to the freshman campus and dividing the two schools into 5-7 buildings?

The freshman campus, which has previously been used as the intermediate school, and before that the junior high school, has a student capacity of approximately 1,000 students. With our graduating classes regularly exceeding 700 students starting with our current seventh grade class, that building cannot accommodate more than one graduating class.

4. Why are we adding to current elementary schools instead of building a new one?

Adding to our current buildings costs less than building an additional building ($16.4 million v $24.5 million). Additionally, creating additional space in our current buildings does not require adding the fixed staffing costs (principal, counselor, nurse, secretaries, maintenance, food services) or the additional utilities of a new building.

Demographic Questions:

1. On what do you base the claim that Noblesville should expect growth of 2.3 percent?

Noblesville Schools has utilized the services of Dr. Robert Boyd of Indiana State University for several years in determining our demographic growth. He updated his study of our community for the board in October 2009. Additionally, the city of Noblesville has done regular demographic studies that have found similar results.

2. Is Dr. Boyd’s study available to the public?

Yes, it is published on the Noblesville Schools’ website.

3. What weight was given to the recession and reversals in growth? What weight was given to transfers to charter schools and home school?

Dr. Boyd’s study incorporates information on the current economic climate as well as the slowing of growth in Noblesville Township. The study does not specifically address private school, charter school or home school students, but the percentage of students utilizing those options is significantly less than 10 percent of the student population in Noblesville. It is important to note that Noblesville Schools grew by almost 300 students from September 2008 to September 2009 and that the city of Noblesville had more than 200 new homes during 2009. While the state of the overall economy has been negative, the impact in Noblesville has been to slow growth, but not stop it or start a decline.


Questions on number of additional classrooms and building capacities

1. How many classrooms will be added by the renovations, additions, inclusion of Tri-County, and the new elementary?

Tri-County will add 22 new classrooms. The additions at Hazel Dell, North, Stony Creek and White River total 23 new classrooms. A new elementary building will have at least seven more classrooms than Forest Hill currently provides. The total number of new classrooms in the elementary level will thus be 52. We will need 28 classrooms for 5th graders in 2012 and 14 additional classrooms for full day kindergarten, or 42 classrooms minimum. The renovations etc. will provide a small amount of room for additional growth before an eighth elementary becomes necessary.

2. Do the buildings being renovated/expanded have enough cafeteria space, restrooms, etc. to accommodate additional students?

Yes. The number of classrooms added to each building is dependent on their cafeteria and media center space. North Elementary will not be expanded as much as other buildings due to the size of its cafeteria.

3. Can you build more classrooms now to push off the day of building No. 8?

For Hazel Dell, North, Stony Creek and White River, we are expanding to the limit of the cafeteria, so we would not add more rooms to those buildings. We could build the new building with more rooms, but that would come at an additional cost.

Questions on class size and student – teacher ratio

1. What is the approximate number of students per room for the new rooms?

We base the additional capacity numbers on a planned 22 students per kindergarten through 2nd grade room, and 25 students per room in grades 3 and higher.

2. What impact will this project have on student-teacher ratio?

Student-teacher ratio, or class size, is dependent on two variables – having rooms in which to teach the students and having teachers in the rooms. This project increases the numbers of rooms available for teachers to use. We will realign the elementary school districts to balance the number of students per room. We will have some additional money with additional students to hire additional teachers.

3. If the referendum does not pass, how will we keep class sizes small?

At best, we will utilize portable classrooms, but without additional rooms, class sizes will rise.


Questions about transitions

1. Why is the district changing back to 6-8 middle schools? Is it an educational issue or a cost issue? Will it shift back in another decade?

In 1996, when the new Noblesville High School was opened, it left the old NHS empty. Rather than close that building, it was used to create the 7th-8th grade Noblesville Middle School, and the former middle school became the 5th-6th grade Noblesville Intermediate School. This was done for both fiscal savings and the belief at the time that a school for 5-6th grade provided a good educational environment for students of that age. On an educational level, Noblesville Schools has not seen the benefits we had hoped for in the tests scores of our 5th and 6th graders. On a fiscal level, moving the 5th graders back to elementary school and dividing into two 6th-8th grade middle schools pushes the need for new buildings to the elementary level, where the buildings are about half the price of middle level buildings. So the change has both education and fiscal benefits.

2. Will we need to redistrict?

Yes, we will need to redistrict our elementary schools to reflect the return of 5th graders and the placement of the new elementary, as well as the inclusion of the Tri County classrooms. Additionally, we will need to create districts for the two middle schools.

3. Could elementary students remain at the current elementary if redistricted to eliminate additional transitions?

When we have redistricted in the past, we have allowed 4-grade students to remain in their schools as long as parents provided transportation. The board anticipates that 5th graders could be grandfathered in this time. It is expected that younger students would attend their new elementary to balance the enrollments as determined by the redistricting.

Questions about educational programming

1. When would all day kindergarten start?

When the space becomes available - in the fall of 2011 or 2012 depending on construction timing - we will be able to offer full day kindergarten for pay. When the state’s economic condition improves, we anticipate state funding for full day kindergarten.

2. Will there be assistant principals at the elementary schools? How will the increased workloads for counselors, art teachers, speech, media, etc., be managed? What are the ramifications for first through fourth graders and possibly fifth graders, for their specials with the addition of students to each building?

Hinkle Creek would need an assistant principal for the west (Tri-County) wing. Other buildings would depend on enrollment numbers. Additional students, and the additional grade, will impact the specials rotation. Additional specials teachers may be needed to cover portions of each building.

3. What about the specials schedule (art, music, PE) in the elementary schools? How will that be impacted with additional students?

That schedule may change somewhat, but students will continue to take those classes each week.