Dear CCS Families and Community,
On November 8, 2022, our community will vote on a Clarkston Community Schools bond proposal.
If approved by voters, this bond proposal is projected to require no tax rate increase to property owners over the current year debt millage rate and would provide up to $197,500,000 for district-wide improvements. This bond proposal was developed as the second part of the long-term master plan for district facilities.
To plan accordingly and be good stewards of these public facilities, we reviewed and updated our 2016 Facilities Master Plan, evaluated all buildings, and prioritized identified needs. The district has gathered feedback from students, staff, families, and community members via several surveys.
This bond proposal focuses on the highest priority projects and concentrates on three key areas: Safety and Security, Aging Building Systems, and a new Clarkston Junior High. Clarkston Community Schools values the safety and security of our students and staff. The bond proposal would fund safety and security upgrades throughout the district if approved.
These identified needs and improvements include building air quality, providing air conditioning in classrooms, ADA upgrades, door hardware replacements, window blinds, building card access controls, generator circuits, and fire alarm system replacements.
With over 1.5 million square feet of facilities on over 500 acres of sites, repairs and improvements are needed to address Clarkston’s aging building systems.
While the buildings have been well-maintained, many building systems are beyond their anticipated life cycle and need to be replaced.
If approved, this bond proposal would fund capital improvements to address aging building systems and provide parity among school buildings, including replacing select roofing, mechanical systems, doors, casework, flooring, clock systems, and failing paving and exterior building envelopes.
If approved, this bond proposal would also allow for the construction of a new junior high school on the current building site. Clarkston Junior High School was constructed over 60 years ago, and the building does not align with current best practices for teaching and learning. Larger classroom sizes will create a physical space able to support modern learning and enhance the student educational experience.
After considerable research and review, it was determined that renovating the existing building would not fully address all infrastructure and educational needs.
Additionally, the cost to renovate the existing junior high would approach the replacement cost due to the age of the building and existing underground infrastructure needs.
It is important to note that when moving forward with this project, the district will work to preserve historical pieces from the original building and offer an opportunity for alumni to have one last walk down the hallways. If approved by voters, the current debt millage rate of 7.0 mills would not change. However, the 7.0 mills would be extended further into the future until 2034, and then decline due to bond repayment and taxable value growth.
The 2022 bond proposal would allow Clarkston Community Schools to address the most critical needs of our district and our students if approved Each building would benefit from the above list of improvements and allow for parity among school buildings.
Please visit www.clarkston.k12.mi.us/community/bond-2022 for more detailed information.
You can also learn more about the bond proposal by attending a bond proposal community forum and tour on September 27 from 6-7 p.m. at the junior high located at 6595 Waldon Road. A second community forum is on October 11 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Board Office located at 6389 Clarkston Road.
If you have further questions, do not hesitate to contact the district at 248-623-5400 or at info@clarkston.k12.mi.us.
Sincerely,
Dr. Shawn Ryan, CCS Superintendent