Jasper Unit #1 Voters to Decide on Referendum on April 6

Voters in the Jasper Unit #1 School District will vote April 6 on whether to approve a referendum.

The referendum, if approved, would allow the District to levy for up to $15.7 million. The revenue would pay for work at Newton Elementary School and at Jasper County Junior High School and Newton Community High School. The work would also involve utilizing the recently-purchased Sunrise Youth and Community Center as the district's Early Childhood Center. The classes now housed at the Ste. Marie Elementary School building would be relocated to the Early Childhood Center, and so would the first grade classrooms now at Newton Elementary. 

The project would also involve constructing nine classrooms at the Early Childhood Center, adding a gymnasium for junior high use, and for installing an elevator in the junior high/high school building.

The additional space would allow expanded vocational and fine arts space at the junior high/high school building and more offerings at the elementary building.

Under the proposal, the Jasper district's tax rate would not increase.

News Director Greg Sapp spoke Tuesday with Jasper Unit #1 Superintendent Andy Johnson, JCJH/NCHS Principal Beth Probst and Jasper Unit #1 Transportation and Building and Grounds Director Chris Parr about the project. Here's their interview...

Here are the specifics of the project:

What

• Address high priority objectives within financial constraints - no increase in property taxes for the project
• Enhance education opportunities for all students - Address facilities long term viability - Reduce long term operations costs

How

• Expansions and renovations to existing buildings

Where

Early Childhood Center (formerly the Sunrise Youth Center) 

• Move Pre-K and Kindergarten from Sainte Marie Elementary School and 1st Grade classes from NE
• Renovations to house Title I, Speech Therapy, Admin Office, Teachers Workroom, Nurses Office, Cafeteria
• Add on 9 classrooms to the NorthWest side of current building and a bus lane 
  • 4 - Kindergarten classrooms / 4 - 1st Grade classrooms / 1 - PreK classroom / Set of restrooms

JH/HS Building 

• Skilled Trades Enhancements / Expansions 
  • Expand and Renovate Welding Shop / Expand and Remodeled Ag classrooms and Ag lab areas
  • Renovate / Remodel fine arts areas such as Band / Chorus.

• Gymnasium 
  • Provide adequate space for physical education classes.
  • Provide dedicated gym and locker rooms for junior high students
  • Newton Elementary Gym to be utilized for after school program or 5th and 6th grade activities

• Elevator - District becomes compliant with ADA requirements.

The District says these are among the benefits of the project:

ECC 

• Avoids maintenance and HLS costs associated with staying at SME
• Transportation costs / energy savings generated by moving PreK and K to Newton City limits
• Increased instructional time for younger students
• Shared Staff & increased safety for our PreK / K students

NE

• Move 1st grade to Early Childhood Center - groups ages together for various benefits
• Vacates classrooms at NE to be used as additional Title I Room, Speech in a classroom, 4th classroom space for 6th grade, Technology dedicated area (on stage), Sensory room dedicated space, Library, PASS Classroom 
• HVAC upgrades - more dependable, efficient, and allow for a more quiet environment

JH/HS

• Elevator to provide ADA compliant access to entire building
• Skilled trades upgrades to meet the needs of the projected interest in vocational trade fields - survey available on the Jasper County Eagle Vision portion of the website
• Gymnasium to provide adequate space for physical education classes, separating junior high and high school students and providing additional space for various practices and events