What’s the scoop?
Frequently Asked Questions
Bristol District identified needs & solutions by completing:
- Completing a Comprehensive Facilities Study with a focus of improving future opportunities for students, staff, and learning environments by assessing aging infrastructure & outdated learning environments.
- Conducting a community-wide survey to determine the needs and the improvements that our community would support.
- Gathering a Facility Task Force, made up of small group of assorted community members, provided critical review and feedback.
- Bristol School Board making an informed decision to pursue the referendum as a part of a long-term facility plan.
- To address significant deferred maintenance and student space renovations..
- This proactive planning and immediate action will prevent costly emergency repairs.
- Interest rates on a bond are near historic lows.
- The District’s fiscally responsible approach limits the tax impact, estimated at: $30 annually or $2.50 per month on $100,000 of property value.
- Construction material and labor inflation is rising at an average rate of 5-7% annually.
- It could potentially retain or improve local homeowners’ property values.
The District built our facilities to last, but like our homes and workplaces, our building needs maintenance and renovations to provide safe and focused-learning environments. The annual budget cannot address these significant needs within annual budgets, so on April 5, voters will be asked to address these needs. The referendum seeks to address the specifics below:
- Safety & Security Improvements:
Updating and increasing security cameras. Repairing Public Address (PA) system to work in ALL classrooms. Providing dedicated secured entrances to the District Office and the School Office. Adding sprinkler systems to major remodeled areas, updating the fire alarm system, adding an emergency generator, improving egress paths with-in the building, as well as providing private entrances for District and School offices.
- Overdue Maintenance and Energy Savings: Replacing HVAC and boilers serving the K-3rd and Middle School wings for improved indoor air quality and improved efficiency. Updates to roofing, windows, doors, site asphalt, landscaping, stormwater drainage, and for ADA restroom compliance. Also, LED lighting, HVAC, and plumbing upgrades which will improve energy efficiencies and increase savings.
- Student Space Renovation: Expansion and improvement of cafeteria/kitchen, early education art area, staff spaces, flexible instruction areas for hands-on learning, access to technology & special education. Improvements will also include a dedicated Large Group Instruction (LGI) space. Remodeling existing main commons and District office area to allow breakout/small group rooms and flexible instruction areas for improved collaboration and project-based learning areas for the entire school. Also included are expansion of restrooms serving the 4-5th Grade Wing.
- Parking, Traffic and Outdoor Safety: Expanding the School’s north parking lot, extending parent drop-off/pick-up, and increasing the number of parking spaces. Dedicated bus drop-off/pick-up on south lot, completing separation of bus and parent traffic, and expanding the hard surface for recess and gym class use as well as adding an outdoor classroom area.xpansion and improvement of cafeteria/kitchen, early education art area, staff spaces, flexible instruction areas for hands-on learning, access to technology & special education. Improvements will also include a dedicated Large Group Instruction (LGI) space. Remodeling existing main commons and District office area to allow breakout/small group rooms and flexible instruction areas for improved collaboration and project-based learning areas for the entire school. Also included are expansion of restrooms serving the 4-5th Grade Wing.
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There is no classroom addition, the renovation will accommodate more classroom and intervention/ collaboration spaces by using underutilized space within the current footprint of the building.
There will be a Community/ District Office addition which will allow for remodel of that current space into student learning spaces.
If and once the referendum is approved, the District will then be engaged in this project’s design phase to address the needs identified.
INITIAL RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $22,300,000
BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of the School District Number 1, Village of Bristol, Kenosha County, Wisconsin that there shall be issued pursuant to Chapter 67 of the Wisconsin Statutes, general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $22,300,000 for the public purpose of paying the cost of a school facility improvement project at the school building and site consisting of: safety and security improvements; building systems, capital maintenance, infrastructure and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance updates; site improvements; renovations, including for classrooms, a cafeteria/kitchen and LGI (Large Group Instruction) space; and acquisition of furnishings, fixtures, and equipment.
- The investment of the proposed referendum is $22.3 million.
- This is approximately $30 annually or $2.50 per month on $100,000 of property value.
- This cost could be lower based on future school levy rates decreasing.
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Based on the Comprehensive Facility Study , the administration team and school board, with input from staff, prioritized and selected improvements that would most benefit the teaching and learning spaces. Budgets for these improvements were developed with industry experts knowledge of current construction, equipment, and labor costs.
- Address significant deferred maintenance in our building to continue offering a shared space in our community.
- Improve indoor air quality
- Increase security and accessibility to all students and visitors.
- Prevent costly emergency repairs and protect taxpayer investment.
- Renovate student spaces to support focused learning.
- Improve building efficiency and decrease energy usage.
- Enhances school pride.
- Attract new quality staff and improve employee retention.
- Potential home valuation increase.
- 1968, Bristol School was originally built
- 1978, additions were made for 1st & 2nd grade
- 1996, additions for the middle school wing
- 2014, Ryczek wing addition
- Our entire building requires renovations and maintenance that the annual budget cannot be addressed due to state imposed revenue limits.
- Our maintenance needs are not going away and our learning spaces are in need of renovation. If the referendum is not approved, our School Board will have no other option but to return with another referendum as the District cannot address these significant deferred needs within the current operating budgets.
- The time is now. Interest rates are at historic lows, yet construction costs are increasing. Waiting even one year to complete this work could increase costs by millions.