EDUCATION

from MyWindsor June 2021

by Prairie Mountain Media

COMMUNITY

ALEX MCINTYRE

Windsor Middle School is seen as sprinklers water the grass in Windsor May 25, 2021.

ALEX MCINTYRE

WELD RE-4 FINALIZING A BOND PACKAGE FOR WINDSOR AND SEVERANCE VOTERS

BY ANNE DELANEY

The Weld RE-4 School District is planning for a new bond measure to present to district voters later this year with an altered price tag after months of community meetings and feedback.

The latest package is a $177 million investment and includes the construction of two new elementary schools in the Peakview and Raindance neighborhood locations, plus the renovation and expansion of both middle schools — in Windsor and in Severance.

The district notes on its 2021 bond website the $177 million price tag could be reduced to $168 million if Weld RE-4 is awarded a state-administered grant worth about $9 million this summer. The district is applying for a competitive matching grant known as BEST (Building Excellent Schools Today), which a Colorado Department

“ A n t i c i p a t i n g c o n t i n u e d residential growth in our communities, the Weld RE-4 School District is on a 4-5 year bond investment cycle, ”

well as projects designed to incorporate technology into education.

The district expects to learn about BEST grant awards by June.The Weld RE-4 Board of Education will decide in August if it will include a package on the November ballot.

In 2020, the district announced it would not proceed with a bond measure as anticipated for voters given the economic circumstances in the community surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, the district said it planned to introduce a bond measure for possible inclusion on the November ballot because the need — increasing enrollment and schools at or above capacity — remained in play and unaffected by COVID-19.

According to the district website on the bond, the growth in the district is

aligned with new neighborhood developments within district boundaries. In 2020, the number of single-family home permits granted in West Greeley, Windsor and Severance combined (approximately 1,400) were slightly lower than the combined number granted in neighboring areas of Wellington, Loveland, Fort Collins and Timnath (approximately 1,500).

The district' s previously introduced two bond measure options: for $169 and $189 million.The difference boiled down to the construction of an early childhood center in the $189 million package, along with addressing a higher level of facility projects throughout the district.

The current $177 million model does not include an early childhood center,and directs the funds to the following: • $20.5 million — facility projects at all schools including the creation of a career technical education center at Severance High School and the relocation of the transportation building; • $61 million — for the renovation and expansion of

Windsor Middle School; • $18 million — for the expansion of Severance Middle

School; • $63 million — for the construction of the two elementary schools (with Peakview located north of

Colo. 392 near Hollister Lake Road; and Raindance located south of 392, west of Colo. 257 and south of

New Liberty Road); and • $14.5 million — for an expansion at Windsor Charter

Academy.

Superintendent Dan Seegmiller said earlier this year the $189 million package pointed the district closer to fulfilling its needs.Building an early childhood center would free up space in all five elementary schools,which are expected to be at over capacity by 2025.

Three of the district’ s elementary schools,Tozer Primary, Mountain View Elementary and Range View Elementary, are currently over capacity.

All Weld RE-4 elementary schools are currently near or above 100% utilization, according to the district. Both middle schools,Windsor and Severance,are currently over 100% utilization.

Elementary school capacity in the district is expected to be at 108% capacity during the 2021-22 school year,while middle school capacity is expected to be at 110%.

The district reports it has 28 modular classrooms on campuses throughout the district,and it’ s anticipating 900 new elementary students between 2021 and 2024 and a need to accommodate 500 more middle school students.

The district says the best practice is to add capacity when utilization reaches approximately 110-115%.

“Anticipating continued residential growth in our communities, the Weld RE-4 School District is on a 4-5 year bond investment cycle, ” according to the district website.