Update on Kolb Elementary School
UPDATE: We understand that not everyone may be able to attend the meeting tomorrow night due to unforeseen circumstances and prior commitments. If you would like to have your concerns voiced, please email them to arounddublin@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name and street address, so your comments may be accepted as part of the public record on this important issue. Thank you.
The Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) conducted a Community Town Hall Meeting on February 4th to provide information and answer questions regarding Kolb Elementary School and the timing of its opening. The meeting opened with a brief informational session and then led into a 1+ hour Q&A session between the DUSD’s leadership team and Dublin residents. Please check out Dublin Townhall for a summary of the comments from parents at the meeting.
The two main talking points noted by the DUSD senior leadership team were that the DUSD does not presently have the funds set aside to build Kolb Elementary School, nor the operating funds to cover the $375K/year for administrative staff during the next few years.
Some of the key take-aways from the town hall meeting were that:
- If Kolb Elementary isn’t built by 2010-2011, East Dublin’s K-5 classrooms are expected to be overcrowded by up to 97 students. The capacity deficit estimate balloons to as many as 295 students by the 2011-2012 school year. The DUSD is considering diverting students living west of Hibernia Drive or Hacienda Drive to Frederiksen Elementary to reduce the overcrowding in East Dublin’s elementary schools. Please click on the map above for the route to Frederiksen Elementary (check out the cool Thundercats-like logo).
- The DUSD expects $6M-$7M in required cuts over the next 3 years due to a reduction in state funding and property tax proceeds.
- Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hanke shared that if Kolb Elementary were to open, then the $375K of operating expenses would need to come from cuts at other schools.
- The DUSD doesn’t currently have the funds to build Kolb Elementary because of the slow-down in development impact fees.
As noted by Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hanke, the DUSD Board of Trustees has a challenging decision on their hands – they must wrestle with the fact that the DUSD is facing a dire financial situation over the next few years with the projections that our K-5 classrooms will be overcrowded by up to 20% in East Dublin by the 2011-2012 school year.
The DUSD Board of Trustees may be deciding on the future opening of Kolb Elementary School during their next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2009. All residents and parents are encouraged to attend. The Board’s decision on the fate of Kolb Elementary School will impact ALL residents in Dublin.
9:49 AM on February 8th, 2009
With that kind of attitude, how could they expect anyone willing to move there in the future?
Haven’t they yeard of Bonds to fund this?
9:59 AM on February 8th, 2009
Hi Anonymous – I believe that the DUSD has an option to borrow $6M from the Dublin Ranch land company to allow construction to begin. This money could be paid back with impact fees from future development in the area.
Thx, John Z.
10:15 AM on February 8th, 2009
Do you happen to know which students will go to which schools? I am having a hard time figuring out if my kid will wind up going to Kolb if it does indeed get built. Also, when is the projected date to make Fallon 100% Middle School? I am wondering if my child would go there instead or maybe Green? Not sure! Thanks!
2:33 PM on February 8th, 2009
Didnt they save 15 million on the land they purchased from 84 lumber ……..couldnt the city to use the money they were alotting for that purchase….
6:04 PM on February 8th, 2009
Hi Anonymous on February 8, 2009 9:15 AM – here’s a link to the K-5 school boundaries map:
http://www.dublin.k12.ca.us/pages/uploaded_files/DUSD%20K-5%20Elementary%20School%20Boundaries%20Map-PDF.pdf
The DUSD is going to reassess school boundaries, but at this point it looks like your child would go to Kolb if you live in the Dublin Ranch Villages, Sorrento (East / West), Sonata, or Verona.
I don’t think that a date has been set for converting Fallon to a 100% middle school. If you live in the Kolb school boundaries, than your child will most likely go to Fallon Elementary (unless it is converted to a 100% middle school).
Hopefully a school Board member reading this comment string could offer additional details and items to be considered.
On a completely unrelated note, the DUSD has this neat feature that helps parents to locate which school they should register their kids:
http://www.locatemyschool.com/weblocator/weblocatorform1.aspx?district=DublinUSD
Thx, John Z.
6:50 PM on February 8th, 2009
This school needs to be built post-haste. That is my comment. Thanks for the alert, Around Dublin.
9:17 AM on February 9th, 2009
I suggest that Dublin citizens concerned about the Kolb project attend the next meeting on Feb. 10 and voice their opinions.
10:29 AM on February 9th, 2009
Hi John,
Thank for the update. I was also in attendance last Wednesday at the townhall meeting. The District’s position is at the following link: https://dublin.csbaagendaonline.net/DublineAgenda/192/2683/Files/kolb_elementary_school_discussion___rationale.doc
If you have trouble opening it just go to Tuesday’s Agenda and click on Item I.5.
District staff is recommending Option 3 of the three options listed. This will delay the decision for several months without any applicable benefit. The District is assuming that all children move in over the summer months. DUSD feels that through possible boundary changes, forced diversions, and adding portable classrooms that they can adequately house the expected 97 students that will be in excess of capacity. This approach is reasonable if you assume that no other children will move into the District during the school year.
By August 2011 the District’s own published data: https://dublin.csbaagendaonline.net/DublineAgenda/192/2683/Files/east_dublin_k-8_enroll_proj._feb_09.pdf
shows that there will be a capacity shortfall for 295 students. The District is assuming that the extra 200 students are not a 2010-2011 issues.
I plan on attending Tuesday night’s meeting and urge approval of Option 2 (build the school now) and see what happens for 2010-2011 school year. There is a strong possibility that there will be no choice but to have a mid-year opening. By not building the school now, we leave no options but forced diversions, and portables with the accompanying loss of blacktop space. In addition portables, at the district’s projected $100,000 to 150,000 will make a big impact in Measure C funds for other District improvements.
Option 2 is a win-win. If the District needs the space by mid-year 2010 we have a school ready to go. Also, we can capture the current great bidding environment and save the District up to $2 or 3 million dollars in capital costs. If the District’s projections turn out to be high then we can save operating expenses and not utilize the school until 2011-2012. I see little advantage in waiting to make the decision, the construction cost may go up, we may not have the school available when it is needed, and the rush to get it ready may add incentive payments to the contractor and decrease time to deal with punch-list items.
10:39 AM on February 9th, 2009
The links to the published DUSD information work on Dublin Townhall. Same posting.
11:31 AM on February 9th, 2009
Hi Dan – thank you for providing a link to the different options that the DUSD is considering. Option 2 looks like a win-win for everybody given the $2-$3M of savings that we could lock in by building Kolb now and then opening once the operating funds are available. The savings that we could realize by building now and never having to setup portables would more than offset a few year’s worth of interest if the DUSD needed to setup an interim financing arrangement.
Thx, JZ
12:30 PM on February 9th, 2009
can any of the stimulus money the feds are looking to provide for infrastructure and education etc.. be used towards construction? How much is DUSD earmarked to receive? This is a prime project that is ready to go, creating immediate jobs and benefits the Citizens.
1:05 PM on February 9th, 2009
Hi Anonymous on February 9, 2009 11:30 AM – this table from the Tri-Valley Herald notes that the DUSD could receive up to $1.2M over the next 2 years:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_11571670
I believe that $238K of the $1.2M would be for construction and the rest would go towards other programs.
Thx, John Z.
4:26 PM on February 9th, 2009
Thanks, just a small drop in the bucket.
Looking at the chart it seems our share is significantly lower than that of any of our neighbors. I assume that it is based on the student population.
8:53 AM on February 12th, 2009
There you have it – Kolb delayed to Fall 2011
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_11683359?source=rss
2:53 PM on February 12th, 2009
Hi Anonymous on February 12, 2009 7:53 AM – we’ll be posting an article related to the Kolb decision tomorrow morning. There may be an editorial article published on Dublin Townhall this weekend, as well.
Thx, John Z.
3:54 PM on March 10th, 2009
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TONIGHT ON THE BUDGET!!
The meeting will be in the board room at 7 PM. The Budget Plan, which identifies all possible cuts for 2009/10, will continue to evolve over the next few months with possible revenue coming from the Federal Stimulus plan. Tonight is a good chance to let your voice be heard, as well as hearing what direction we are going in.
John B. Ledahl
LedahlJohn@Dublin.k12.ca.us
4:13 PM on March 11th, 2009
SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET PLAN APPROVED.
Last night the school board approved the budget plan for both the remainder of 2008/09 and 2009/10.
It is important to understand that it is a dynamic, working plan that will likely change between now and final approval of the budget in June. Things still uncertain include conclusion of the final state budget, which is dependent on federal stimulus money. It isn’t over by a long shot, folks. Any questions, email me or Dr. Hanke at the district.
John B. Ledahl
ledahljohn@dublin.k12.ca.us