The forum reviewed the district's past referendums to address aging facilities, discussed the current conditions of the buildings, enrollment trends, and renovation costs, and planned for continued growth through new construction of an elementary school scheduled to open in 2017. Community members were invited to provide input to inform the district's planning process.

1. Laurel School District
Capital Projects
Community Forum
Wednesday, March 26, 2014, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
April 30, 2014, 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Laurel Intermediate Middle School
Media Center
John D. Ewald
Superintendent of

2. This evening we will;
 Review the Past
 Discuss the Present
 Plan for the Future

3. Items
 Referendum Questions
 District Enrollment
 Construction Forums
 Facility Conditions
 Renovation Costs
 Board of Education Vote

4. Review the Past
Referendum Questions

5. Review the Past
 Three Superintendents
 Three Financial Officers
 One State Financial Recovery Team
 Two Referendums
 Final Referendum Passed by 12 Votes

6. Review the Past
1st Referendum Question – Subsequently Did Not
Pass
The voters of the Laurel School District are asked to
approve the issuance to fund the activities described in the
following Certificates of Necessity:
 New High School, Land Acquisition, New Stadium (C.N. 1116
A-G)
 1116 A Planning, construction and equipping of a new 700 pupil
High School to replace the existing Laurel High School on lands
currently owned by the district
 1116 B Acquisition of lands contiguous to lands currently owned
by the district to improve entrance and egress to the High School
site.
 1116 C Planning, construction and equipping of a new Athletic
Stadium and Track to replace the existing Laurel High School

7. Review the Past
1st Referendum Question – Subsequently Did Not
Pass
The voters of the Laurel School District are asked to
approve the issuance to fund the activities described in the
following Certificates of Necessity:
 New High School, Land Acquisition, New Stadium (C.N. 1116
A-G)
 1116 D Planning, construction and equipping of a new 700 pupil
Middle School to replace the existing Laurel Middle School on
lands currently owned by the district.
 1116 E Planning, construction and equipping of a new 1,200
pupil Elementary School @ 120,817 to replace the existing North
Laurel and P.L. Dunbar Elementary Schools on lands currently
owned by the district, and utilizing the educational
campus, school-within-a-school concepts.

8. Review the Past
1st Referendum Question – Subsequently Did
Not Pass
The voters of the Laurel School District are asked to
approve the issuance to fund the activities described in
the following Certificates of Necessity:
 New High School, Land Acquisition, New Stadium (C.N.
1116 A-G)
 1116 F Planning, abatement, engineering, selective
demolition, renovation/restoration of the existing Laurel Middle
School converting it to offices and learning resource center
 1116 G Engineering, abatement, demolition and site
restoration of the North Laurel Elementary School.

9. Review the Past
2nd Final Referendum Question 1 – Subsequently Did
Pass
The voters of the Laurel School District are asked to approve
the issuance to fund the activities described in the following
Certificates of Necessity:
 Construction New Elementary School and Demolition
Restoration and Improvements to North Laurel Elementary (C.N.
1216 D-E)
 1216 D Planning, construction and equipping of a new 1200 pupil
Elementary School to replace the existing North Laurel and P.L. Dunbar
Elementary Schools on lands currently owned by the district and utilizing
the educational campus, school-within-a-school concept.
 1216 E Engineering, abatement, demolition and site
restoration/improvements of the North Laurel Elementary School.
 Selective Demolition of the Existing Middle School, including but
not limited to the Field House and Selective Renovation of
Remaining School Facilities (C.N. 1216 F)
Planning, abatement, engineering and selective demolition of
the existing Laurel Middle School to include but not limited to the
Field House and selective renovation of remaining school

10. Review the Past
 Construction New Elementary School and Demolition
Restoration and Improvements to North Laurel
Elementary (C.N. 1216 D-E)
 1216 D Planning, construction and equipping of a new 1200
pupil Elementary School to replace the existing North Laurel
and P.L. Dunbar Elementary Schools on lands currently
owned by the district and utilizing the educational
campus, school-within-a-school concept.
 State $30,563,200
 Local $ 9,651,200
 Total $40,213,400

11. Review the Past
 Construction New Elementary School and Demolition
Restoration and Improvements to North Laurel
Elementary (C.N. 1216 D-E)
 1216 E Engineering, abatement, demolition and site
restoration/improvements of the North Laurel Elementary
School.
 State $2,583,400
 Local $ 815,800
 Total $3,399,200

12. Review the Past
 Selective Demolition of the Existing Middle
School, including but not limited to the Field House and
Selective Renovation of Remaining School Facilities (C.N.
1216 F) Planning, abatement, engineering and selective
demolition of the existing Laurel Middle School to include
but not limited to the Field House and selective renovation
of remaining school facilities.
 State $2,407,800
 Local $ 760,400
 Total $3,168,200

13. The Bid Process
 Certificate of Necessity
 Referendum
 Vote
 Bid
 Ground Breaking
 Construction
 Release of Facility

14. Construction Forums
 Laurel School District Elementary School
Construction Project Community Forums
 •Wednesday, October 30, 7:00 p.m., Dunbar
ES
 •Tuesday, November 5, 7:00 p.m., North
Laurel ES
 •Thursday, November 14, 7:00 p.m., Laurel
IMS
 •Tuesday, November 19, 7:00 p.m., Laurel HS
 •Monday, November 25, 7:00 p.m., District

15. Review the Past
 Questions

16. Discuss the Present
District Enrollment
Facilities Conditions
Cost of Renovation
Traffic Impact

17. Discuss the Present
District Student Enrollment
Grade Bands Students Fall 2013
PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st
Grade
Dunbar ES
(25:1 – 30:2)
483
2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade
North Laurel ES
618
5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
Laurel IMS
(20:1 – 31:2)
597
9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th
Grade
Laurel HS
(19:1 – 32:1)
483

18. Discuss the Present
K-5 Student Enrollment
Grade Bands Students Fall 2013
Kindergarten 228
1st Grade 209
2nd Grade 203
3rd Grade 180
4th Grade 202
5th Grade 160
*As of April 4, 2014
1182

19. Discuss the Present
 Facilities Conditions
 Donn Steele, Supervisor, Facilities &
Transportation
 Referendum, Renovations & Resources
 Don Zook, RY Johnson Construction
 Site Capacity & Traffic Impact
 Brad Hastings, Becker Morgan Architects

20. Facilities Conditions
 Inventory of Existing Buildings
 Upkeep
 Energy Costs
 Deferred Maintenance
 Basic Building Science
 Masonry
 Mechanical
 Electrical
 Energy Efficiency & Moisture
 Economics of Operating Existing Buildings

21. Energy Costs
 FY 12 State Allotment $401,215
 Natural Gas $129,564
 Electricity $328,984
 Total Energy $458,548
 Deficit $ 57,333

22. Energy Costs
 FY 13 State Allotment $300,911
 Natural Gas $144,208
 Electricity $304,588
 Total Energy $448,796
 Deficit $147885

23. Energy Costs
 FY 14 State Allotment $368,464
 YTD natural Gas $119,129
 YTD Electricity $224,076
 YTD through March $343,205

24. Building Science

25. Deferred Maintenance

26. Deferred Maintenance

27. Review the Past
 Selective Demolition of the Existing Middle
School, including but not limited to the Field House and
Selective Renovation of Remaining School Facilities (C.N.
1216 F) Planning, abatement, engineering and selective
demolition of the existing Laurel Middle School to include
but not limited to the Field House and selective renovation
of remaining school facilities.
 State $2,407,800
 Local $ 760,400
 Total $3,168,200

28. Referendums, Renovations &
Resources
 Referendum Results
 Right at the Time (2010)
 Renovations’ Costs
 2014
 2015
 2016
 2017
 Resources Available
 Funds Available as Per 2010 Referendum

29. Site Capacity & Traffic Impact
 State DOE formula for Elementary Schools:
 10 Acres base + 1 Acre/100 students
 1200 students = 22 Acre site recommended
 North Laurel Elem. site: 14.98 acres
 Laurel Intermediate site: 26.37 acres
 DelDOT Process / Traffic Impact Study (TIS)
Forthcoming
 Separation of Buses and Cars
 Stacking Space Requirements
 Bus Parking Requirements

30. Discuss the Present
 Questions

31. Plan for the Future
 Continuous Growth in Sussex County
 Requires Continuous Planning to Address Growth
 Growth Planned for at the Middle High School Level
 Current Enrollment at the Elementary Level
 Continuous Planning Beyond Current Enrollment
 Laurel Elementary School Scheduled to Open 2017

32. Questions

33. Next Steps
 Sign in for this meeting.
 Share your input through the input form.
 Next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April
30, 2014, Laurel IMS, Media Center, 7:00 p.m. –
8:30 p.m.
 Additional meetings may be scheduled.