Post Messenger Recorder -

As the voters in the School District of Belleville consider the November 8th referendum, it is important to understand the needs of the District, the process that was used to evaluate facility needs and ultimately, the solution that will be on the ballot in the form of a referendum question.

Though the District’s maintenance staff have done an excellent job of keeping our buildings in good shape and operating as efficiently as possible, there is only so much that can be done. Our facilities have old heating and ventilation systems, as well as such things as single-pane windows, which make our schools inefficient. Additionally, many of the facilities lack modern security practices that are common throughout most schools in the state.

Beyond the fact that we need to replace outdated items and update security, we also need learning spaces that meet our educational needs. As education continues to change, today’s instruction focuses more than ever on hands-on learning projects and small-group activities. This means modern classrooms must be conducive to these types of activities.

Classrooms must have more space, with desks and chairs that easily move to accommodate quick layout changes for multiple types of learning. District staff have done a tremendous job of working with the facilities we have, but as the years go by, it becomes increasingly obvious that our facilities need to be upgraded if we are to keep pace with the evolution of education. Simply put, our facilities as they currently exist do not support modern learning.

Additionally, today’s educational professionals have a deeper understanding of the unique needs of students than they did when the schools were initially built. In keeping with state and federal laws, students with special needs may receive services in a more individualized setting outside the traditional classroom, which has led to an increase in space needs despite similar enrollment levels. This is especially true at the Intermediate and Elementary schools, which were built in the 1950s.

For all of these reasons and many others, the School Board has engaged in a process to evaluate and prioritize the District’s needs and ultimately develop a solution. This process began 10 years ago with a professional assessment of all District facilities. Then, in 2014, the Board created a study committee to help consider District needs. In 2015, our newly created Ad-Hoc Educational and Facilities Planning Committee, made up of Belleville community members, met regularly to prioritize our needs throughout the District in accordance with our financial situation and reviewed options. Finally, this summer, the committee made a formal recommendation to the Board who voted to place a question on the November 8th ballot.

As we near Election Day, we encourage all community members to learn about the needs of the District, the process that was used by the Board to evaluate and prioritize those needs and ultimately, the solution that is being presented to voters in November.

Information about this process, including all reports, agendas, and meeting minutes, is posted on the District’s website: http://www.belleville.k12.wi.us/district/referendum2016.cfm. Residents are also encouraged to contact District Administrator, Pam Yoder, at (608) 424-3315 or yoderp@belleville.k12.wi.us with questions. In addition, the Board is holding a second Community Open House on Wednesday, October 5th, at the Intermediate School Cafeteria at 6:30 p.m. All are invited.