Summary of the Project to Date
Over the past year, the G-E-T School District has been working with Nexus Solutions to assess district facilities and develop a plan to meet the growing needs of our student population. As part of this process, a committee was formed to review concept plans and prioritize potential projects. At the October School Board meeting, the committee presented its recommended list of projects along with the results of a community survey.
Committee Recommendation
The committee, comprised of staff, parents, business owners, community leaders, and board members, met four times between May and September. They quickly reached consensus on recommendations for the high school; however, discussions regarding the three elementary schools proved more complex. The committee identified a need to compare the costs of three options: improving all three elementary schools, combining two, or consolidating all three into a new facility.
In the end, the committee voted to recommend improvements to the three existing elementary buildings, along with a series of enhancements to the high school.
Recommended improvements for the high school include a secure entry and expansions to the art and FACE (Family and Consumer Education) rooms. Recommended improvements for all three elementary schools include secure entries, office remodels, and special education classroom renovations. Both Galesville and Trempealeau Elementary Schools’ improvement lists also include classroom additions and cafeteria expansions.
Survey Highlights
The survey, conducted by the Morris Leatherman Company, included 400 randomly selected district residents, with proportional representation from each township, village, and city. The results reflected positive views of the school district’s financial responsibility, leadership, and teaching staff. Respondents also expressed strong support for safety and security upgrades, accessibility and ADA improvements, and deferred and interior maintenance projects.
Several survey questions addressed the district’s three elementary schools, in response to the committee’s interest in gauging community support for consolidation options—either combining two schools or all three into a new facility. The results did not support building a new facility, which represented the most expensive option. On the other hand, the survey results did show support for consolidating Galesville and Ettrick Elementary Schools through an addition at the Galesville Elementary site.
Going Forward
Over the next few months, the School Board will review both the committee’s recommendations and the community survey results to determine whether to move forward with a referendum, which projects to include, and the total referendum amount.
Two special meetings dedicated to this work have been scheduled for Thursday, November 20, and Thursday, December 18, at 6:30 p.m. in the High School Library. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.