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    Walnut Grove Elementary School
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  • FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
     
    • How much more will the new school cost taxpayers? The new school will not require a tax rate increase. The new school is estimated to cost $38-42 million. Center Grove has the funding capacity to build the new school WITHOUT a tax rate increase. As old debt is paid off, the cost of the new school can be added without requiring the district’s tax rate to jump.
    • Don’t you have to have a referendum for a project over $20 million? For projects over $20 million, state law requires a remonstrance period be held. If a petition of remonstrance is filed with the necessary signatures, the project must be put to a referendum vote. No petition was filed for the elementary project, so it is allowed to move forward without a referendum.
    • Why not reopen West Grove? Center Grove no longer owns West Grove. The building, which was originally built in 1967, was sold in 2013 to a local church based on several considerations including maintenance required, the size of the school, and the location.
      • Maintenance:
        • The building had no sprinkler system, which would have to be added.It was not yet connected to the city sewer system, which is costly.
        • It is located in a floodplain, which would require additional cost for any expansion. 
      • Size: 
        • The size of the building is substantially smaller than most of our other schools, and there are very few options for expansion. The current funding formula is designed for a school that is at least 600 students. 
      • Location: 
        • West Grove was located in the northern half of the district where enrollment has been declining. Most of the growth is in the southern part of the district.
        • The new I-69 route will include construction of a ramp just a few hundred feet from the entrance drive to the school.
    • Why not use the Maple Grove site? When Maple Grove was built, the school was designed to be a “flip”, which means a second school could be joined to it. This design would allow us to have two buildings on the same site. While there would be minimal savings on construction and utility costs, those savings would not be significant. The main consideration for not choosing that location is the traffic in that area caused by parent pick-up and drop off. Doubling the number of students is just not feasible. We do plan to utilize the land west of Maple Grove in the future for a third middle school. 

     

    (This page will be updated as new questions are answered.)