Pine Journal - August 6, 2017 - Don't forget to vote in Carlton Tuesday
Duluth News Tribune - August 3, 2017 - Reader's View: Get informed, then vote for Carlton schools
Pine Journal - July 22, 2017 - Dear Carlton School District Community,
Carlton School District Bond Referendum Informational Meetings
Duluth News Tribune - May 14, 2017 - Carlton school district building referendum set for August
Pine Journal - May 12, 2017 - Carlton school vote set for August
Pine Journal - January 13, 2017 - Carlton takes a closer look at school facilities
Pine Journal - December 12, 2016 - Education Corner: Community input is necessary, valuable to our future
Pine Journal - November 26, 2016 - Carlton schools seek community input, and offer supper in return
Duluth News Tribune - August 3, 2017 - Reader's View: Get informed, then vote for Carlton schools
Pine Journal - July 22, 2017 - Dear Carlton School District Community,
Carlton School District Bond Referendum Informational Meetings
Duluth News Tribune - May 14, 2017 - Carlton school district building referendum set for August
Pine Journal - May 12, 2017 - Carlton school vote set for August
Pine Journal - January 13, 2017 - Carlton takes a closer look at school facilities
Pine Journal - December 12, 2016 - Education Corner: Community input is necessary, valuable to our future
Pine Journal - November 26, 2016 - Carlton schools seek community input, and offer supper in return
August 6, 2017 - Don’t forget to vote in Carlton Tuesday
Carlton voters are invited to vote Tuesday, Aug. 8, on the school district’s proposal to create a combined preK-12 school for Carlton students.
Residents are asked to vote “yes” or “no” on two different school questions: one asking for $23.6 million in bonds to construct a grades 6-12 addition and make improvements to the existing elementary school at the South Terrace site; the second (contingent on the first question passing) to approve an additional $3.3 million in bonds to construct an auditorium, improve athletic spaces and make other site improvements.
The special election will be held from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, at the Carlton County Transportation Public Building, 1630 County Road 61, Carlton. See the district website for more information on the referendum and other school district questions or read a corrected version of last week’s Pine Journal story online at www.pinejournal.com.
Residents are asked to vote “yes” or “no” on two different school questions: one asking for $23.6 million in bonds to construct a grades 6-12 addition and make improvements to the existing elementary school at the South Terrace site; the second (contingent on the first question passing) to approve an additional $3.3 million in bonds to construct an auditorium, improve athletic spaces and make other site improvements.
The special election will be held from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, at the Carlton County Transportation Public Building, 1630 County Road 61, Carlton. See the district website for more information on the referendum and other school district questions or read a corrected version of last week’s Pine Journal story online at www.pinejournal.com.
August 3, 2017 - Reader's View: Get informed, then vote for Carlton schools
Our special election in the Carlton school district is quickly approaching. On behalf of the Carlton School Board, I strongly encourage voters to take the time to be fully informed and to please vote by Tuesday. This election is about public education, community, the future, Carlton's current and future students, and, yes, property taxes. South Terrace Elementary School was built in 1961. Sections of Carlton High School were built in 1915, 1953, and 1969. Neither of our buildings meets requirements set out in the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Neither has sprinklers. And the high school has no secure entrances. The locker rooms, science labs, infrastructure, and more are in poor condition. However, none of these facility challenges lessen the essential role the school district plays in the lives of students, their families, and the community. All students and staff deserve school buildings that are efficient, effective, and inspiring. It's not too late to get informed about the facts and to have your questions answered. Please visit embracingourfuture-carlton.org for project information, including answers to frequently asked questions and a link to a tax calculator so you can see what the tax impacts for Question 1 and Question 2 would be for you. You also can call me at (218) 384-4225, extension 115, or email me at gcarman@carlton.k12.mn.us. This is a very important time for the Carlton school district, our students, and all the communities that are part of our district. Please take the time to get informed and vote. You can vote at the Carlton County Courthouse through Monday. That includes Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Tuesday, the only polling site will be the Carlton County Transportation Building in Olsonville. It'll be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Gwen Carman Carlton The writer is superintendent of the Carlton public schools.
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Carlton School District Bond Referendum Informational Meetings (UPDATED 7/21/17)
Meetings will be held at South Terrace Elementary School, 530 Stine Drive, Carlton, on the following dates:
June 6 (Tuesday): 4:00pm and 6:00pm
June 20 (Tuesday): 4:00pm and 6:00pm
July 11 (Tuesday): 4:00pm and 6:00pm
July 24th (Monday) 6:00pm and 7:00pm
July 29th (Saturday) 1:00pm
July 29th (Saturday) 4:00pm at the High School
Meetings will be held at Carlton High School, 405 School Ave, Carlton, on the following dates:
July 29 (Saturday): 4:00 PM
Each meeting will include an informational presentation by Superintendent Gwen Carman, followed by a tour of the South Terrace School and grounds.
All Carlton School District voters are asked to attend at least one of these meetings to hear facts about the referendum and the ballot questions.
Superintendent Carman is available throughout the summer to answer questions and/or meet with individuals and any other small groups.
218/384-4225 x113
gcarman@carlton.k12.mn.us
June 6 (Tuesday): 4:00pm and 6:00pm
June 20 (Tuesday): 4:00pm and 6:00pm
July 11 (Tuesday): 4:00pm and 6:00pm
July 24th (Monday) 6:00pm and 7:00pm
July 29th (Saturday) 1:00pm
July 29th (Saturday) 4:00pm at the High School
Meetings will be held at Carlton High School, 405 School Ave, Carlton, on the following dates:
July 29 (Saturday): 4:00 PM
Each meeting will include an informational presentation by Superintendent Gwen Carman, followed by a tour of the South Terrace School and grounds.
All Carlton School District voters are asked to attend at least one of these meetings to hear facts about the referendum and the ballot questions.
Superintendent Carman is available throughout the summer to answer questions and/or meet with individuals and any other small groups.
218/384-4225 x113
gcarman@carlton.k12.mn.us
May 17, 2017 - Carlton school district building referendum set for August
Duluth News Tribune
After months of public meetings regarding school buildings in the Carlton school district, the Carlton School Board voted last week to call a special election Aug. 8 for the purpose of voting on a building bond referendum.
There will be two questions on the ballot: The first would authorize the board to issue bonds not to exceed $23,575,000 for renovating South Terrace Elementary School and constructing a new high school addition at the South Terrace site. The result would be a two-section school with a shared cafeteria, media center, and office spaces.
The second question, for $3,310,000, would cover the costs of building an auditorium as well as outdoor instructional and athletic spaces, along with other site improvements.“It’s a very important and significant question that we’re asking the voters to vote on,” Superintendent Gwen Carman said before the board voted last Tuesday. “It’s a very important question as far as the education in Carlton schools. It’s also a very important question for our taxpayers, who would be assessed on their property taxes.”
In front of a silent audience of a little over a dozen people, board members also approved several related resolutions, including establishment of a polling place (Carlton County Transportation Department Building) and absentee voting location (Carlton County Courthouse).
Each vote passed 5-1, with Carlton School Board member Jennifer Chmielewski the sole dissenting vote. Although she didn’t explain her vote during the meeting, Chmielewski said afterward that she feels there are other options available “to address the challenges we have.”
“The other options are far less risky, less expensive and will likely end up being far better for the students, teachers and taxpayers,” Chmielewski said. “My constituents are telling me they are very concerned about this vote, especially those on fixed incomes.”
According to the district’s analysis of tax impact of the proposed new debt, the owner of a $150,000 home would see taxes increase $432 a year for Question 1, and $68 a year for Question 2, or $500 total.
The owner of a $250,000 home would see taxes increase by $804 a year if Question 1 passes, and $127 a year for Question 2, or a total of $931.
The second question cannot pass if the first one does not.
Carman explained that taxpayers with a household income less than $108,660 can qualify for the state’s “circuit breaker” program, which offers a sliding scale refund for homeowners with relatively low incomes and high tax burdens. The maximum annual refund is $2,660. Those who qualify may receive a refund up to 80 percent of the the amount of the property tax increase caused by the referendum.
Carman said the district plans to hold many public meetings throughout the summer to assure voters have accurate information and opportunities to ask questions.According the school district website, a phone survey of 300 randomly selected adult residents taken in the summer of 2016 indicated that 68 percent of those surveyed thought a new building plan sounded like a “good idea.” According to the same survey, “typical” respondents said they would support a tax increase of $118 a year, while 33 percent would support an increase of $246 per year and 32 percent would support no tax increase for facilities construction.
The decision to ask Carlton school district voters to approve new construction came less than a month after Wrenshall school district residents voted against a proposed $12.5 million school renovation and expansion bond referendum, with 657 “no” votes and 250 voting in favor.
In a previous interview with the Pine Journal, Carman said Carlton consolidating with the Wrenshall school district is not “workable” at this point in time. Consolidation options were studied in 2015 and again in 2016, but discussions ended in both times after each board advocated for a K-12 school in its own district.
Some of those who organized against the Wrenshall referendum are now working against the one in Carlton, with the hope that the two school districts will finally find a way to consolidate if voters reject their plans to continue moving ahead separately.
One of the people spearheading that effort, Dan Conley, was at the Carlton School Board meeting last Tuesday. He said his group is holding a meeting at 6:30 p.m. June 15 at the Public House in Carlton.
The next Carlton School Board meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday. Find more information about the proposed building project at carlton.k12.mn.us/about/facility-planning.
After months of public meetings regarding school buildings in the Carlton school district, the Carlton School Board voted last week to call a special election Aug. 8 for the purpose of voting on a building bond referendum.
There will be two questions on the ballot: The first would authorize the board to issue bonds not to exceed $23,575,000 for renovating South Terrace Elementary School and constructing a new high school addition at the South Terrace site. The result would be a two-section school with a shared cafeteria, media center, and office spaces.
The second question, for $3,310,000, would cover the costs of building an auditorium as well as outdoor instructional and athletic spaces, along with other site improvements.“It’s a very important and significant question that we’re asking the voters to vote on,” Superintendent Gwen Carman said before the board voted last Tuesday. “It’s a very important question as far as the education in Carlton schools. It’s also a very important question for our taxpayers, who would be assessed on their property taxes.”
In front of a silent audience of a little over a dozen people, board members also approved several related resolutions, including establishment of a polling place (Carlton County Transportation Department Building) and absentee voting location (Carlton County Courthouse).
Each vote passed 5-1, with Carlton School Board member Jennifer Chmielewski the sole dissenting vote. Although she didn’t explain her vote during the meeting, Chmielewski said afterward that she feels there are other options available “to address the challenges we have.”
“The other options are far less risky, less expensive and will likely end up being far better for the students, teachers and taxpayers,” Chmielewski said. “My constituents are telling me they are very concerned about this vote, especially those on fixed incomes.”
According to the district’s analysis of tax impact of the proposed new debt, the owner of a $150,000 home would see taxes increase $432 a year for Question 1, and $68 a year for Question 2, or $500 total.
The owner of a $250,000 home would see taxes increase by $804 a year if Question 1 passes, and $127 a year for Question 2, or a total of $931.
The second question cannot pass if the first one does not.
Carman explained that taxpayers with a household income less than $108,660 can qualify for the state’s “circuit breaker” program, which offers a sliding scale refund for homeowners with relatively low incomes and high tax burdens. The maximum annual refund is $2,660. Those who qualify may receive a refund up to 80 percent of the the amount of the property tax increase caused by the referendum.
Carman said the district plans to hold many public meetings throughout the summer to assure voters have accurate information and opportunities to ask questions.According the school district website, a phone survey of 300 randomly selected adult residents taken in the summer of 2016 indicated that 68 percent of those surveyed thought a new building plan sounded like a “good idea.” According to the same survey, “typical” respondents said they would support a tax increase of $118 a year, while 33 percent would support an increase of $246 per year and 32 percent would support no tax increase for facilities construction.
The decision to ask Carlton school district voters to approve new construction came less than a month after Wrenshall school district residents voted against a proposed $12.5 million school renovation and expansion bond referendum, with 657 “no” votes and 250 voting in favor.
In a previous interview with the Pine Journal, Carman said Carlton consolidating with the Wrenshall school district is not “workable” at this point in time. Consolidation options were studied in 2015 and again in 2016, but discussions ended in both times after each board advocated for a K-12 school in its own district.
Some of those who organized against the Wrenshall referendum are now working against the one in Carlton, with the hope that the two school districts will finally find a way to consolidate if voters reject their plans to continue moving ahead separately.
One of the people spearheading that effort, Dan Conley, was at the Carlton School Board meeting last Tuesday. He said his group is holding a meeting at 6:30 p.m. June 15 at the Public House in Carlton.
The next Carlton School Board meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday. Find more information about the proposed building project at carlton.k12.mn.us/about/facility-planning.
May 12, 2017 - Carlton School vote set for August
Pine Journal
After months of public meetings regarding school buildings in the Carlton School District, the Carlton School Board voted Monday to call a special election Aug. 8 for the purpose of voting on a building bond referendum.
There will be two questions on the ballot: The first would authorize the board to issue bonds not to exceed $23,575,000 for renovating South Terrace Elementary School and constructing a new high school addition at the South Terrace site. The result would be a two-section school with a shared cafeteria, media center, and office spaces. The second question, for $3,310,000, would cover costs of building an auditorium as well as outdoor instructional and athletic spaces, along with other site improvements.
“It’s a very important and significant question that we’re asking the voters to vote on,” Superintendent Gwen Carman said before the board voted Monday. “It’s a very important question as far as the education in Carlton Schools. It’s also a very important question for our taxpayers, who would be assessed on their property taxes.”
In front of a silent audience of a little over a dozen people, board members also approved several related resolutions, including establishment of a polling place (Carlton County Transportation Department Building) and absentee voting location (Carlton County Courthouse).
Each vote passed 5-1, with Carlton School Board member Jennifer Chmielewski the sole dissenting vote. Although she didn’t explain her vote during the meeting, Chmielewski said afterward that she feels there are other options available “to address the challenges we have.”
“The other options are far less risky, less expensive and will likely end up being far better for the students, teachers and taxpayers,” Chmielewski said. “My constituents are telling me they are very concerned about this vote, especially those on fixed incomes.”
According to the district’s analysis of tax impact of the proposed new debt, the owner of a $150,000 home would see taxes increase $432 a year for Question 1, and $68 a year for Question 2, or $500 total.
The owner of a $250,000 home would see taxes increase by $804 a year if Question 1 passes, and $127 a year for Question 2, or a total of $931. The district also has estimates of tax impacts for commercial/industrial property, agricultural homestead and agricultural non-homestead.
The second question cannot pass if the first one does not.
Carman explained that taxpayers with a household income less than $108,660 can qualify for the state’s “circuit breaker” program, which offers a sliding scale refund for homeowners with relatively low incomes and high tax burdens. The maximum annual refund is $2,660. Those who qualify may receive a refund up to 80 percent of the the amount of the property tax increase caused by the referendum.
Carman said the district plans to hold many public meetings throughout the summer to assure voters have accurate information and opportunities to ask questions.
According the school district website, a phone survey (of 300 randomly selected adult residents taken in the summer of 2016) indicated that 68 percent of those surveyed thought a new building plan sounded like a “good idea.” According to the same survey, “typical” respondents said they would support a tax increase of $118 a year, while 33 percent would support an increase of $246 per year and 32 percent would support no tax increase for facilities construction.
The decision to ask Carlton School District voters to approve new construction comes three weeks after Wrenshall voters voted against a proposed $12.5 million school renovation and expansion bond referendum, with 657 “no” votes and 250 voting in favor.
In a previous interview with the Pine Journal, Carman said consolidating with Wrenshall School District is not “workable” at this point in time. Consolidation options were studied most recently in 2015 and again in 2016 with a different consultant, but discussions ended in both times after each board advocated for a K-12 school in its own district. Some of those who organized against the Wrenshall vote are now working against the Carlton vote, with the hopes that the two school districts will finally find a way to consolidate if voters reject their plans to continue moving ahead separately.
One of the people spearheading that effort, Dan Conley, was at the Carlton Board meeting Tuesday. He said the group is holding a meeting at 6:30 p.m. June 15 at the Public House in Carlton.
The next Carlton School Board meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday, May 15.
Want to know more? Find lots of additional information at www.carlton.k12.mn.us/about/facility-planning.
After months of public meetings regarding school buildings in the Carlton School District, the Carlton School Board voted Monday to call a special election Aug. 8 for the purpose of voting on a building bond referendum.
There will be two questions on the ballot: The first would authorize the board to issue bonds not to exceed $23,575,000 for renovating South Terrace Elementary School and constructing a new high school addition at the South Terrace site. The result would be a two-section school with a shared cafeteria, media center, and office spaces. The second question, for $3,310,000, would cover costs of building an auditorium as well as outdoor instructional and athletic spaces, along with other site improvements.
“It’s a very important and significant question that we’re asking the voters to vote on,” Superintendent Gwen Carman said before the board voted Monday. “It’s a very important question as far as the education in Carlton Schools. It’s also a very important question for our taxpayers, who would be assessed on their property taxes.”
In front of a silent audience of a little over a dozen people, board members also approved several related resolutions, including establishment of a polling place (Carlton County Transportation Department Building) and absentee voting location (Carlton County Courthouse).
Each vote passed 5-1, with Carlton School Board member Jennifer Chmielewski the sole dissenting vote. Although she didn’t explain her vote during the meeting, Chmielewski said afterward that she feels there are other options available “to address the challenges we have.”
“The other options are far less risky, less expensive and will likely end up being far better for the students, teachers and taxpayers,” Chmielewski said. “My constituents are telling me they are very concerned about this vote, especially those on fixed incomes.”
According to the district’s analysis of tax impact of the proposed new debt, the owner of a $150,000 home would see taxes increase $432 a year for Question 1, and $68 a year for Question 2, or $500 total.
The owner of a $250,000 home would see taxes increase by $804 a year if Question 1 passes, and $127 a year for Question 2, or a total of $931. The district also has estimates of tax impacts for commercial/industrial property, agricultural homestead and agricultural non-homestead.
The second question cannot pass if the first one does not.
Carman explained that taxpayers with a household income less than $108,660 can qualify for the state’s “circuit breaker” program, which offers a sliding scale refund for homeowners with relatively low incomes and high tax burdens. The maximum annual refund is $2,660. Those who qualify may receive a refund up to 80 percent of the the amount of the property tax increase caused by the referendum.
Carman said the district plans to hold many public meetings throughout the summer to assure voters have accurate information and opportunities to ask questions.
According the school district website, a phone survey (of 300 randomly selected adult residents taken in the summer of 2016) indicated that 68 percent of those surveyed thought a new building plan sounded like a “good idea.” According to the same survey, “typical” respondents said they would support a tax increase of $118 a year, while 33 percent would support an increase of $246 per year and 32 percent would support no tax increase for facilities construction.
The decision to ask Carlton School District voters to approve new construction comes three weeks after Wrenshall voters voted against a proposed $12.5 million school renovation and expansion bond referendum, with 657 “no” votes and 250 voting in favor.
In a previous interview with the Pine Journal, Carman said consolidating with Wrenshall School District is not “workable” at this point in time. Consolidation options were studied most recently in 2015 and again in 2016 with a different consultant, but discussions ended in both times after each board advocated for a K-12 school in its own district. Some of those who organized against the Wrenshall vote are now working against the Carlton vote, with the hopes that the two school districts will finally find a way to consolidate if voters reject their plans to continue moving ahead separately.
One of the people spearheading that effort, Dan Conley, was at the Carlton Board meeting Tuesday. He said the group is holding a meeting at 6:30 p.m. June 15 at the Public House in Carlton.
The next Carlton School Board meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday, May 15.
Want to know more? Find lots of additional information at www.carlton.k12.mn.us/about/facility-planning.
January 13, 2017 - Carlton takes a closer look at school facilities
Pine Journal
A large group of Carlton residents braved subzero temperatures Jan. 4 to participate in a meeting regarding the future of Carlton’s school facilities.
A followup to a Nov. 30 community meeting, last Wednesday’s meeting largely focused on the following question: Should the Carlton School District repair its existing schools — Carlton High School and South Terrace Elementary School — or combine the schools on the elementary school site?
Because voters passed a renewal of the school’s operating levy in November (giving the district seven more years of additional funding for day-to-day operations of the schools) the district is now able to seriously consider remodeling or building new, although voters would have to approve either option.
Held in the auditorium of the Carlton High School, the audience consisted of mostly parents within the community, school board members and representatives of Ingensa and Architectural Resources (ARI), the consulting firms hired to evaluate the school district facilities. Ingensa provides comprehensive facility project planning and engineering services to K-12 school districts across the state.
This meeting was Ingensa’s opportunity to review its findings.
But first Carlton Superintendent Gwen Carman thanked those who attended the meeting, explaining how the input of the people of the district will be crucial in these coming months.
“We need to have strong partnerships with our families and our communities,” Carman said. “We also need safe, modern and efficient school buildings.”
She then gave the floor over to Ingensa’s Wayne Gilman. Gilman is a retired superintendent from Pine City, a client of Ingensa during that time. After retiring, he joined the firm in June and has been with them ever since, travelling through various districts in Minnesota.
“The theme of our process is community engagement,” Gilman said.
The next presenter was John Powers of Applied Insights North, a company that does research and analysis on demographics and population. Powers has been in the business since the 1970s, and his work has taken him all across Minnesota, the Dakotas and Wisconsin. He described the work as “part science, some analysis, and some educated guesswork.”
Powers prepared two projections for the attendees: one for the possibility of a new combined building, and the other for the possibility of repairing the old ones and staying the same as the district is today. Both projections looked into the future for roughly 10 years, observing statistics such as Carlton’s population over the last few years, the amount of students living within Carlton School District boundaries and which schools they enroll in, along with possible future populations for Carlton and so on.
Carlton’s student enrollment has decreased steadily over the course of the last 10 years. There are several reasons for that, Powers noted. Primarily, there are not as many students in the district. Open enrollment also gives families the freedom to choose which schools their children attend, within limitations. Powers pointed out that fewer than half of the students living within the Carlton School District enroll in Carlton schools while many attend school in neighboring Cloquet, Esko and Wrenshall.Powers theorized that the construction of a new school could bolster student enrollment, with the possibility of students open-enrolling from other districts as well. He did assert, however, that there was no certainty of that happening.
“These are based on assumptions, and assumptions can always be taken to task,” he said.
Ingensa’s Luke Pfotenhauer focused on the various mechanical deficiencies the schools face moving forward during the third presentation.
Both South Terrace and Carlton High School are using the original boilers installed when the buildings were constructed. Though both function thanks to extensive maintenance, they are well past their expected service life.
The same can be said for much of the plumbing in the buildings, which uses galvanized pipes. Such pipes can leach lead from the original solder and coatings over time, Pfotenhauer said. He explained, however, that that state requires testing for lead in drinking water.
The buildings also largely make use of single pane windows, which allows a considerable amount of heat to escape from the building, not ideal in Minnesota. Other problems, such as wear and tear of the parking lots, ventilation in the locker rooms and bathrooms, and outdated light fixtures were also mentioned.
After listening to all the information about the mechanics of each building, one audience member asked: “So, did you find anything that was good in the schools?”
ARI’s Scott Sosolla pointed out that both schools are still quite structurally sound. The high school also has a newer gym floor, which is still in good condition. Both schools are also sized very well for the amount of students they serve, and each classroom has an interactive smart board.
The final presenter was Katie Hildenbrand, who is in charge of assessing educational adequacy. She defined educational adequacy as: “The degree to which a school’s facilities can adequately support the instructional mission and methods of the district.” Hildenbrand showed a floor plan for both schools, highlighting which areas were serving the needs of the students well, and which areas needed improvement. She cited how several rooms have been repurposed over the years. The home economics room — a class that is no longer offered — has been transformed into a special education room. The cabinets and workstations still remain however. Similarly, the wood shop, another class that is no longer offered, is currently sitting vacant.
While Ingensa was conducting its studies of the buildings, they also talked with students and staff. Regardless of repair or rebuild, staff members are hoping they will be able to have more storage at their disposal, as well as more open learning spaces for the students.
“Students aren’t just sitting at a desk learning. They want breakout spaces, they want spaces to do group activities,” Hildenbrand said. “It’s our job to listen to how Carlton wants to deliver education.”
After all of the presentations were finished, Pfotenhauer returned to the microphone to answer questions.
The primary thing people wanted to know was the potential cost for either undertaking. The cost for repairs to South Terrace were estimated between $5.7 and $7.25 million. He said the cost for the repair of the high school would be in the area of $12 to $14 million, whereas the cost of a new high school with roughly the same square footage would be closer to $19 million. Carman said they don’t have an estimate for a preK-12 building because this study was about looking at existing facilities.
South Terrace was constructed in 1962, while Carlton High School contains wings built in 1914, 1953 and 1969.
Another audience member asked how much time the repairs would buy for the old buildings. While there could be no real certainty, Pfotenhauer guessed that the life would be under 15 years. A new building would more reasonably have a life of 15-20 years before problems would start to arise, but certain things like flooring would deteriorate quicker.
“Kids are hard on buildings.” Pfotenhauer said.
After the question-and-answer session was concluded, Carman assured everyone attending that no decisions have been made and that this is going to continue to be a very interactive process.
“I am optimistic,” she said. “I am excited about the future of Carlton schools.”
If the school board decides to take action to address facility inadequacies, it could consider a May 2017 bond referendum, according to the school district website.
The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28, and will largely be for Native American members of the district, and will be a celebration luncheon for the kids, as well as a chance to provide parents with a lot of the information that was presented at this meeting. Following that, there will be a second public engagement meeting Feb. 1, which will elaborate on the findings that were discussed at this meeting, as well as discussion on which of the two options will be pursued further. A third public engagement meeting is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 22. There’s still a very long road ahead here for Carlton and its schools.
Want to know more? The entire presentation is online at http://www.carlton.k12.mn.us/about/facility-planning.
A large group of Carlton residents braved subzero temperatures Jan. 4 to participate in a meeting regarding the future of Carlton’s school facilities.
A followup to a Nov. 30 community meeting, last Wednesday’s meeting largely focused on the following question: Should the Carlton School District repair its existing schools — Carlton High School and South Terrace Elementary School — or combine the schools on the elementary school site?
Because voters passed a renewal of the school’s operating levy in November (giving the district seven more years of additional funding for day-to-day operations of the schools) the district is now able to seriously consider remodeling or building new, although voters would have to approve either option.
Held in the auditorium of the Carlton High School, the audience consisted of mostly parents within the community, school board members and representatives of Ingensa and Architectural Resources (ARI), the consulting firms hired to evaluate the school district facilities. Ingensa provides comprehensive facility project planning and engineering services to K-12 school districts across the state.
This meeting was Ingensa’s opportunity to review its findings.
But first Carlton Superintendent Gwen Carman thanked those who attended the meeting, explaining how the input of the people of the district will be crucial in these coming months.
“We need to have strong partnerships with our families and our communities,” Carman said. “We also need safe, modern and efficient school buildings.”
She then gave the floor over to Ingensa’s Wayne Gilman. Gilman is a retired superintendent from Pine City, a client of Ingensa during that time. After retiring, he joined the firm in June and has been with them ever since, travelling through various districts in Minnesota.
“The theme of our process is community engagement,” Gilman said.
The next presenter was John Powers of Applied Insights North, a company that does research and analysis on demographics and population. Powers has been in the business since the 1970s, and his work has taken him all across Minnesota, the Dakotas and Wisconsin. He described the work as “part science, some analysis, and some educated guesswork.”
Powers prepared two projections for the attendees: one for the possibility of a new combined building, and the other for the possibility of repairing the old ones and staying the same as the district is today. Both projections looked into the future for roughly 10 years, observing statistics such as Carlton’s population over the last few years, the amount of students living within Carlton School District boundaries and which schools they enroll in, along with possible future populations for Carlton and so on.
Carlton’s student enrollment has decreased steadily over the course of the last 10 years. There are several reasons for that, Powers noted. Primarily, there are not as many students in the district. Open enrollment also gives families the freedom to choose which schools their children attend, within limitations. Powers pointed out that fewer than half of the students living within the Carlton School District enroll in Carlton schools while many attend school in neighboring Cloquet, Esko and Wrenshall.Powers theorized that the construction of a new school could bolster student enrollment, with the possibility of students open-enrolling from other districts as well. He did assert, however, that there was no certainty of that happening.
“These are based on assumptions, and assumptions can always be taken to task,” he said.
Ingensa’s Luke Pfotenhauer focused on the various mechanical deficiencies the schools face moving forward during the third presentation.
Both South Terrace and Carlton High School are using the original boilers installed when the buildings were constructed. Though both function thanks to extensive maintenance, they are well past their expected service life.
The same can be said for much of the plumbing in the buildings, which uses galvanized pipes. Such pipes can leach lead from the original solder and coatings over time, Pfotenhauer said. He explained, however, that that state requires testing for lead in drinking water.
The buildings also largely make use of single pane windows, which allows a considerable amount of heat to escape from the building, not ideal in Minnesota. Other problems, such as wear and tear of the parking lots, ventilation in the locker rooms and bathrooms, and outdated light fixtures were also mentioned.
After listening to all the information about the mechanics of each building, one audience member asked: “So, did you find anything that was good in the schools?”
ARI’s Scott Sosolla pointed out that both schools are still quite structurally sound. The high school also has a newer gym floor, which is still in good condition. Both schools are also sized very well for the amount of students they serve, and each classroom has an interactive smart board.
The final presenter was Katie Hildenbrand, who is in charge of assessing educational adequacy. She defined educational adequacy as: “The degree to which a school’s facilities can adequately support the instructional mission and methods of the district.” Hildenbrand showed a floor plan for both schools, highlighting which areas were serving the needs of the students well, and which areas needed improvement. She cited how several rooms have been repurposed over the years. The home economics room — a class that is no longer offered — has been transformed into a special education room. The cabinets and workstations still remain however. Similarly, the wood shop, another class that is no longer offered, is currently sitting vacant.
While Ingensa was conducting its studies of the buildings, they also talked with students and staff. Regardless of repair or rebuild, staff members are hoping they will be able to have more storage at their disposal, as well as more open learning spaces for the students.
“Students aren’t just sitting at a desk learning. They want breakout spaces, they want spaces to do group activities,” Hildenbrand said. “It’s our job to listen to how Carlton wants to deliver education.”
After all of the presentations were finished, Pfotenhauer returned to the microphone to answer questions.
The primary thing people wanted to know was the potential cost for either undertaking. The cost for repairs to South Terrace were estimated between $5.7 and $7.25 million. He said the cost for the repair of the high school would be in the area of $12 to $14 million, whereas the cost of a new high school with roughly the same square footage would be closer to $19 million. Carman said they don’t have an estimate for a preK-12 building because this study was about looking at existing facilities.
South Terrace was constructed in 1962, while Carlton High School contains wings built in 1914, 1953 and 1969.
Another audience member asked how much time the repairs would buy for the old buildings. While there could be no real certainty, Pfotenhauer guessed that the life would be under 15 years. A new building would more reasonably have a life of 15-20 years before problems would start to arise, but certain things like flooring would deteriorate quicker.
“Kids are hard on buildings.” Pfotenhauer said.
After the question-and-answer session was concluded, Carman assured everyone attending that no decisions have been made and that this is going to continue to be a very interactive process.
“I am optimistic,” she said. “I am excited about the future of Carlton schools.”
If the school board decides to take action to address facility inadequacies, it could consider a May 2017 bond referendum, according to the school district website.
The next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28, and will largely be for Native American members of the district, and will be a celebration luncheon for the kids, as well as a chance to provide parents with a lot of the information that was presented at this meeting. Following that, there will be a second public engagement meeting Feb. 1, which will elaborate on the findings that were discussed at this meeting, as well as discussion on which of the two options will be pursued further. A third public engagement meeting is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 22. There’s still a very long road ahead here for Carlton and its schools.
Want to know more? The entire presentation is online at http://www.carlton.k12.mn.us/about/facility-planning.
December 12, 2016 - Education Corner: Community input is necessary, valuable to our future
Pine Journal
Thank you to everyone who attended the Nov. 30 dinner and dialogue about the future of the Carlton School District. We are proud to share that we had 127 parents, students, staff and members of the community come together to discuss our facilities goals and ways for our district to move forward. We cannot emphasize enough that your voice and input is an integral part of determining the best way to continue improving our schools.
At our gathering, we received feedback from the community about:
Our school board will host a public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. in the high school small gym, to not only share with you the results of our first community engagement meeting, but also the results of ou7r demographics, educational adequacy and facilities assessments. Again, we want to develop a facilities plan that is community driven. It is your input from our meetings as well as the results from our assessments that will allow us to shape facilities options to move our district forward.
We will hold more public dinner and dialogues with the community over the next few months. We hope that you will continue to attend, and hope that you will also tell friends and family as everyone is welcomed! We will inform the community as soon as the date for the next event has been set.
Thank you again, and I hope to see you Jan. 4.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Nov. 30 dinner and dialogue about the future of the Carlton School District. We are proud to share that we had 127 parents, students, staff and members of the community come together to discuss our facilities goals and ways for our district to move forward. We cannot emphasize enough that your voice and input is an integral part of determining the best way to continue improving our schools.
At our gathering, we received feedback from the community about:
- The status of the existing school facilities and how to improve them;
- Challenges that the Carlton School District faces;
- Positive feedback about the efforts of the school district; and
- What classes all or most students should take to be successful after they graduate from Carlton Schools.
Our school board will host a public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. in the high school small gym, to not only share with you the results of our first community engagement meeting, but also the results of ou7r demographics, educational adequacy and facilities assessments. Again, we want to develop a facilities plan that is community driven. It is your input from our meetings as well as the results from our assessments that will allow us to shape facilities options to move our district forward.
We will hold more public dinner and dialogues with the community over the next few months. We hope that you will continue to attend, and hope that you will also tell friends and family as everyone is welcomed! We will inform the community as soon as the date for the next event has been set.
Thank you again, and I hope to see you Jan. 4.
November 26, 2016 - Carlton schools seek community input, and offer supper in return
Pine Journal
Now is not the time to rest on your haunches, Carlton Bulldog supporters, even if the operating levy did pass by a whopping 63 percent just over two weeks ago.
The school district is holding a community dinner and dialogue from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the Four Seasons Sports Complex (90 Chestnut Ave.) in Carlton, for the purpose of discussing the district’s educational and facility needs — and all are invited.
Although she’s thrilled that the operating levy passed, Carlton Superintendent Gwen Carman said the school district was planning to hold this meeting whether it passed or not.
She explained that the district hired a company (Ingensa Inc.) to conduct an educational adequacy and facility assessment, which is underway. They are also looking at how much the school district is spending at each of its two schools and getting staff input regarding how well the facilities are functioning in terms of providing the best education for students. The community is also an integral part of that discovery process.
“We are offering a free meal and childcare, because we want as much input as we can get, including and especially from people who are worried or concerned that the district may be headed in the wrong direction,” Carman said. “Their input is valid too.”
Invitations have been making the rounds of email, snail mail and social media, and tell people the following about the meeting:
“Expect to be enlivened, engaged and to have fun as we share supper, served with consideration for any dietary concern from vegan to carnivore using the Marnita’s Table model of Intentional Social Interaction! Dress comfortably and be prepared to learn and share thoughts on the educational and facilities needs of Carlton Public Schools. You are our guest for dinner. There is no charge to participate.”
“It’s going to be very fun and interactive,” Carman said. “People will be seated at tables designed for conversation.”
According to the website (marnitastable.org), the idea is to “bring people together across race, class, culture, and other means of self-identity to find common ground on important public policy issues.” The model seeks to ensure that all stakeholders are included in the conversations that affect them.
The dinner will take place on the upper floor of the sports complex.
School district officials ask that people planning to attend please RSVP via e-mail to wgilman@InGensaInc.com or call 952-500-0756 so the school district can ensure there is enough food available.
“We are really hoping for a very large turnout,” Carman said. “We want as many people as possible from the school district area to attend.”
Now is not the time to rest on your haunches, Carlton Bulldog supporters, even if the operating levy did pass by a whopping 63 percent just over two weeks ago.
The school district is holding a community dinner and dialogue from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at the Four Seasons Sports Complex (90 Chestnut Ave.) in Carlton, for the purpose of discussing the district’s educational and facility needs — and all are invited.
Although she’s thrilled that the operating levy passed, Carlton Superintendent Gwen Carman said the school district was planning to hold this meeting whether it passed or not.
She explained that the district hired a company (Ingensa Inc.) to conduct an educational adequacy and facility assessment, which is underway. They are also looking at how much the school district is spending at each of its two schools and getting staff input regarding how well the facilities are functioning in terms of providing the best education for students. The community is also an integral part of that discovery process.
“We are offering a free meal and childcare, because we want as much input as we can get, including and especially from people who are worried or concerned that the district may be headed in the wrong direction,” Carman said. “Their input is valid too.”
Invitations have been making the rounds of email, snail mail and social media, and tell people the following about the meeting:
“Expect to be enlivened, engaged and to have fun as we share supper, served with consideration for any dietary concern from vegan to carnivore using the Marnita’s Table model of Intentional Social Interaction! Dress comfortably and be prepared to learn and share thoughts on the educational and facilities needs of Carlton Public Schools. You are our guest for dinner. There is no charge to participate.”
“It’s going to be very fun and interactive,” Carman said. “People will be seated at tables designed for conversation.”
According to the website (marnitastable.org), the idea is to “bring people together across race, class, culture, and other means of self-identity to find common ground on important public policy issues.” The model seeks to ensure that all stakeholders are included in the conversations that affect them.
The dinner will take place on the upper floor of the sports complex.
School district officials ask that people planning to attend please RSVP via e-mail to wgilman@InGensaInc.com or call 952-500-0756 so the school district can ensure there is enough food available.
“We are really hoping for a very large turnout,” Carman said. “We want as many people as possible from the school district area to attend.”