Community leaders believe the Warren County R-III School District is on the right track in exploring the possibility of constructing a new elementary school through a no-tax increase bond …
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Community leaders believe the Warren County R-III School District is on the right track in exploring the possibility of constructing a new elementary school through a no-tax increase bond issue.
The district held a public forum Feb. 22 to discuss plans for future growth. Warren County R-III Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith said the district will have funds available in the next few years to do a no-tax increase bond issue. After meeting with community members, the district’s established goals for the potential project is to be prepared for growth, expand pre-K service and maintain existing facilities.
With over 900 new housing units coming into the district boundary, the district is planning for a potential increase in students.
“We know the growth is coming. And so we just want to make sure we’re prepared for that,” Klinginsmith said.
The district currently has 300 seats available at the high school and 371 available at the middle school. However, at Warrior Ridge Elementary School, there are only 99 seats available. There are 147 seats available at Rebecca Boone and 185 available at Daniel Boone. All six early childhood classes are full.
The district’s highest enrollment is in the upper grade levels from eighth grade through 12th grade. The district’s enrollment increased by 45 students over the past five years. With the influx in homes, the district expects to see more students enroll in the near future.
“We’ve seen all the new houses being built, but we’re not really seeing the kids yet,” board member Franci Schwartz said. “Are those families that don’t have kids in school yet, or what? We’re not sure, but we feel like it’s coming surely with all the new residential spaces. We’re surely going to see some growth.”
Schwartz stressed the district wants to avoid utilizing trailer buildings for class spaces. Board members are afraid they will need to use them at Warrior Ridge if they are not proactive.
Truesdale Mayor Chris Watson said the district is not going to stop growing. He noted the recent and upcoming construction of homes in Truesdale.
“There will be kids. There will be a lot of kids,” Watson said. “This is all single family unit homes and the next subdivision next to it is filled with kids. I would say you guys are on the right track.”
Klinginsmith said constructing a new elementary school would serve multiple purposes. The district would have a larger elementary school with more space. It would also help with early childhood. The district’s proposed plan is to move Daniel Boone Elementary to a new location on North Highway 47 near the water tower. The district owns 29 acres in that location. Early childhood would eventually be at the current site of Daniel Boone Elementary. Under the plan, the district would temporarily house early childhood at the site north of town while the building is still partially under construction.
Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce President Katie Joyce cited the benefits the community could see by adding more space for early childhood. Joyce sees the need both in her involvement with the Chamber and also in her role as an attorney at Joyce Law Firm.
“With a lot of our foster families, their resources are incredibly limited for the pre-K services. It gets to the point that they ask about it, and we’re like, ‘Here’s two, good luck.’ I totally agree that’s a high need of the area,” Joyce said.
The projected cost of construction is $31 million to $36 million. The district will have about $37 million available by 2028. It would issue the bonds over multiple years through 2028 for a no-tax increase bond issue. The district’s projected available funding could increase if the assessed values of taxable properties increase.
Construction of the new school is projected to take 18-30 months. The earliest the school would be ready for use is the 2025-2026 school year.
The school board has not taken official action on the proposal.