By ALICIA LEONARD
The Walton County School Board (WCSB) met for a workshop on April 5 that spilled over into their regularly scheduled meeting. The 4:30 p.m. meeting discussing parameters for the new elementary school planned in south Walton drew much discussion from the board.
District Facilities Planner Tom Blackshear and Energy Education Specialist Michelle Doggett presented the board with some different options for discussion.
One of the largest concerns that came up time and time again in the discussion is factoring in future growth for student populations in new facilities. Blackshear told the board that options to build for 1,000 or 800 students had been discussed. Concerns were raised that if the plans were built for around 800 student stations, within four to five years there would be a need for additions as the student population is expected to continue the growth trends seen in the past.
Blackshear also spoke of the concerns with new legislation that the district could be inhibited in building larger core facilities for future anticipated growth. He said during the meeting, “We thought we were doing good and saving money by building for the future instead of coming back and adding on at possible higher costs for the district later. It’s really a double edged sword.”
District Superintendent Carlene Anderson added, “We were deemed as one of those 12 that spent “too much” per student for core facilities. But, if the board had not had the foresight to build those facilities in Mossy Head and at Emerald Coast our core facilities would not have met the guidelines once we had additional students…. We moved in in August, and I was coming back to you in October asking for eight more classrooms. If you had not wanted those core facilities to accommodate growth we would have been in trouble.”
Since 2009, almost 68 percent of student growth has occurred in the south end, according to Blackshear. “I’m concerned that if we build for 800 students, by the time we open in 2019 we will be having to add on very soon. We know that high and dry land in south Walton is hard to come by. We have this property and we need to use it wisely. The school needs to be compact, but with the ability to expand when necessary,” he added.
Other items mentioned by Blackshear were traffic circulation, sharing of facilities with the proposed sport’s complex and security.
The board will meet with architectural firms in the near future to interview those vying for the design contract.
After more discussion on the proposed elementary school the board transitioned into their regularly scheduled meeting around 5:30 p.m.
During the opening agenda items for the regular meeting President of the Okaloosa and Walton United Way Ken Hinrichs presented the board with awards signifying the achievements of each school for their time and donations helping raise funds for the local Untied Way.
“We thought we might be able to break the schools down and recognize them,” he added. South Walton High School, Bay Elementary, Emerald Coast Middle School, West DeFuniak Elementary School and Freeport Elementary School were recognized as increasing their donations and involvement by a rate greater than 20 percent. South Walton High School was also recognized as Bronze Employee Achievement of Excellence and district offices were awarded a silver in the same category.
The board moved swiftly through most other items on the agenda before them. Under the finance category the board approved the annual audit for the district by the Florida Auditor General for the school year ending June, 30 2015.
Board members praised the outcome of the audit. Chief Finance Officer Debra Noyes and staff received accolades from the board for an around $6 million increase in the general fund from the year prior. According to the audit “the General Fund total assigned and unassigned fund balances was $8,234,918.61, or approximately 11.2 percent of total General Fund revenues.”
Anderson told the board that it was the hard work of Noyes and her staff that turned the direction of the fund. “We can finally see some daylight,” Anderson added. Board Chair Jason Catalano agreed, adding “compared to last year’s audit, this is like staring at the sun.”
The next meeting of the board is scheduled for April 19 at South Walton High School in the media room starting with workshops at 3:30 p.m. and the regular meeting starting at 5 p.m.
To see more about the district go to www.walton.k12.fl.us.