Hello Parents/Guardians and Benton Community members:
Welcome back to school! We are very excited to have our students and staff return for the 2022-2023 school year. Please check out our website at www.benton.k12.ia.us to view photos from our first day of school, informational “spotlights” about our new staff, and many other inspirational news stories.
During an era of employee shortages, we are fortunate to have secured 22 new teaching staff as well as 20+ support staff. We are proud they selected Benton Community and are now Bobcats!
We have been onboarding our new employees and welcoming them to our school district. If you see a new face while you are attending events or activities, please stop and introduce yourself.
Again, welcome back and let’s make this a fantastic school year!
Voter Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (VPPEL)
If you are a registered voter and live in the Benton Community School District, you should have received a flyer in the mail explaining the VPPEL. If not, please access our webpage at https://www.benton.k12.ia.us/page/voter-approved-ppel where detailed information exists.
The Benton Community Board of Directors submitted a ballot for the VPPEL for September 13, 2022, Special Election. Benton Community has participated in the Board Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) and for many years and the Voter Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (VPPEL) most recently in 2010. If passed on Sept. 13, the VPPEL would generate approximately $1,009,612 per year to be used for safety and security, as well as renovations for some of our classrooms, heating and cooling systems (HVAC), purchasing new technologies, and school buses.
During the 2020-2021 school year, the Board secured OPN Architects, Inc. to conduct an extensive assessment of our school facilities. Together with a group of 35 community member, staff, student representatives, the year-long study, discussion, prioritization, and survey data resulted in identifying the needs of our facilities as well as a general master plan. Since the study, the Board has been unpacking the master plan, information, data, and details.
As the Board continues to explore and analyze next steps and plans for improvements, more information will be forthcoming. The Board has not decided on specific improvements but has expressed a commitment to begin looking at the overcrowding at Atkins, safety and security items at each of our buildings, and renovations needed at Atkins and the MS/HS if the VPPEL passes.
Listed below are a few examples of facility needs. The VPPEL would not be enough revenue to address all of the facility needs but would be a good start to address some of the safety and security needs as well as overcrowding as Atkins Elementary continues to grow, and improvements needed at the MS/HS. Again, the Board has not made a final decision on the prioritization of improvements. I expect some decisions will be made sometime after the results of the VPPEL on Sept. 13.
A few examples of facility needs as per OPN study from 2020-2021:
∙ Front secure office areas, access control, paging systems, door entry stations, fire alarms systems, cameras
∙ Additional classrooms and expanded cafeteria/lunchroom at Atkins to allow for growth in student enrollment
∙ Drop off/pick up area improvements, parking expansion
∙ High School Locker areas, athletic locker area improvements
∙ Boilers, Heating, Cooling ○ All of our systems are dated, require ongoing maintenance and repairs, increase in maintenance and utility costs in some of our facilities, controls are dated (30-40 yrs. old) and limited replacements parts exist
∙ Remodel high school science classrooms for 21st century learning (High School was built in 1981) ○ Our buildings and classrooms look nice and are in overall good condition aesthetically. However, as generations have passed through our classrooms, “times have changed” as we prepare our students for 21st century learning and jobs/careers that involve numerous newer approaches and technologies. Our classrooms need to be renovated to reflect the experiences we want our students to have.
∙ Restroom improvements – ADA ○ Our restroom areas were designed and built many years ago. Renovations are necessary to meet ADA and student needs.
∙ Site Improvements ○ Playgrounds, parking areas, ADA drop off areas, Food service delivery areas
The VPPEL will be critical for funding a few of the needed improvements but it will not be enough to do everything to improve and upgrade all facilities and classrooms. Depending on the future master Facilities Plan and funding, the VPPEL together with other future revenue sources could fund more projects needed as per the Facilities Study such as remodeling at the MS/HS, safe and secure front entrances and offices, HVAC, and other facility improvements.
The VPPEL revenue is more about equipping our students and staff with the resources and environments conducive to learning than it is about buildings or brick and mortar. While we do need highly functional and innovative buildings and facilities, it is more important to focus on investing in our future which in turn is about investing in our children. We simply cannot make progress as a school district without addressing the needs of our staff and students in regard to the learning environments where they spend a good portion of their years as a child/teen.
The investment in our children will be a commitment for all of us. The commitment comes in the form of a property tax levy. For example, if you own a home and the taxable valuation is $100,000, the investment will be $66.04 annually or $5.50/month. If your home’s taxable valuation is $200,000, the investment in our children will be $138.57/year or $11.55/month.
Agriculture land example: 80 acres of assessed taxable valuation of farm land would be $154.82 per year. 240 acres of farm land would be $464.47/year.
It’s important to note that assessed value is NOT market value. Assessed value is determined by the County Assessor while market value is determine by the open real estate marketplace. Please see the chart below as a reference.
Polling locations will be open from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2022, at the following locations. Registered voters in our school district communities can go to any one of the following locations to vote.
Van Horne Community Center
Newhall City Hall
St. Michael’s Parish Center
Atkins City Hall/Library
Keystone City Hall
Blairstown City Hall/Community Center
Information about absentee ballots – please contact the Benton Co. Auditor’s Office.
Questions? Please call Dr. Pamela Ewell at 319-227-8701 Ext. 1503 or Dr. James Bieschke 319-228-8701 Ext. 1502.
Safety and Security
All staff participated in safety and security training and learning sessions on Monday. Our training was conducted by our SRO, Deputy Brandt, together with the Benton County Sheriff Department. A special ‘thanks’ to the Sheriff department for assisting and helping us with this very important training. Our school district is using the ALICE training in response to safety and security measures. Students will engage in discussions and practice drills at our MS/HS and at our elementary levels, they will participate in general discussions using a children’s book and review safety and security. Expect to receive more information from each of our school buildings. Deputy Brandt will also send out more information.
What’s next?
We continue to assess safety and security needs at each of our buildings. Two years ago, as part of our facilities assessment study, OPN Architects, Inc. and our Facilities Study and Advisory Committee, evaluated our facilities for general safety and security. A few of the primary improvements centered on the need to construct safe and secure front entrances to our school buildings. While we do have our front entrances locked and visitors are required to report their identity and purpose for entering our school buildings after students arrive, not all of our school buildings have a separate vestibule for visitors to wait until they are allowed inside. We will be addressing this in the near future. Other needs identified – additional security cameras, fire protection, keyless entry systems, locked exits and alarms, as well as several other items.