School referendum targets burgeoning enrollment

Grafton’s public schools are bursting at the seams, and on Tuesday voters will be asked to approve an $11.14 million referendum to construct an addition at John Long Middle School that officials believe will solve the problem.

“We believe it’s a long-term solution to this problem we have,” Supt. Jeff Nelson said. “This is not a luxurious ask. This is a need.”

And, he noted, the district has worked to ensure the referendum won’t add to the tax levy. The additional enrollment experienced by the district will result in more state aid to offset taxes, increased development in the district will spread the levy over an increasing number of homeowners and a bookkeeping change has allowed the district to maximize its state aid, Nelson said.

He noted that the district is expected to borrow the $11.4 million at 5% interest over 10 years.

The referendum money would not cover the cost of operating the addition, Nelson said, noting that can be covered in the normal school budget, especially since increasing enrollment will bring in more state aid.

That aid, however, can’t be used for a building project, he noted.

The district, Nelson said, is in a “unique spot,” with enrollment that’s been climbing since 2021 as both the town and village of Grafton are experiencing an influx of housing that’s attracting young families with school-aged children.

He noted that from 2010 to 2018, only 85 building permits for single-family houses were issued in the village. But since then, the numbers have increased significantly, from 45 in 2019 to 95 in 2021 and 36 last year.

And the village continues to expand, with more subdivisions proposed each year.

“As evidenced by the growth in Grafton, with new housing and the achievements of our school district, Grafton has become a preferred location,” he said. “Ensuring every student has the space and resources they need to thrive is paramount to our commitment to excellence in education.”

Having a high-quality school district, he noted, is one reason the community is growing.

As the village has grown, so too has school enrollment. Since 2021, Nelson said, enrollment has increased by 130 students, and 113 of those students are elementary-school students.

“That’s what’s driving this,” he said.

The district enrollment hit a low of 1,995 in the 2020-21 school year, but has increased steadily since, to an anticipated 2,158 in the 2024-25 year.

The district wants to construct an addition to the middle school that would contain eight fifth-grade classrooms, as well as a set of restrooms. The cost of this is estimated at $6.7 million.

In addition, the district would expand the cafeteria, relocate the science room and remodel a number of special education and staff spaces and restrooms, add parking to replace spaces taken up by the addition and provide outdoor play equipment.

The remodeling is expected to cost $2.8 million and the site work $1.6 million.

The changes would allow the district to move fifth grade from Kennedy and Woodview elementary schools to the middle school, freeing three classrooms in each elementary school for other classes, particularly so-called “bubble classes” with more students than can be accommodated in the typical three class sections per building, Nelson said.

This year, he said there is one bubble class in each building and the district anticipates two in each building next year.

The idea of moving fifth-graders to the middle school is concerning to some parents, Nelson acknowledged, but he noted that the fifth-grade teachers have visited several districts with middle schools that include fifth-grade classes. The ideas they came back with have been incorporated into the district’s plans to ensure a comfortable experience for students.

“We are aware of parent concerns of fifth-graders moving to the middle school and will work proactively to address issues to ensure we have a smooth transition for our students and families,” he said.

Many fifth-graders already go to the middle school for such things as band and accelerated math classes, Nelson noted.

The district has been analyzing and studying the issue since late 2021, Nelson said, exploring alternatives and deciding last year that this is the best answer.

If the referendum is approved, Nelson said, the design of the addition would be completed by September. The necessary approvals and permitting are expected by November, when construction would begin.

The addition would be completed by July 2025 and ready for students when school begins in August.

If the referendum doesn’t pass, Nelson said, the district would be faced with several less desirable alternatives, including larger class sizes, bringing in portable classrooms and having teaching specialists use a cart to move from class to class rather than having a room of their own.