Referendum

Phase 1: Safe Entrances and High School Gym

Our renovated secure office entries at Powers, Turner Middle School, and Turner High School have now been completed.  This work results in all visitors during the school day being asked to buzz their way into the building.  Upon gaining entry into the first set of doors, you must then enter the office as the second set of interior doors will also be locked for security reasons.  Anti-ballistic film on glass entries has also been installed.

Powers Elementary Safe and Secure Entrance


Middle School Safe and Secure Entrance


High School Safe and Secure Entrance

 

High School Gym Floor and Bleachers

The high school gym has also seen the long awaited replacement of the original 1963 bleachers.  The new bleachers are installed and look amazing and will provide increased safety and comfort to our spectators.  The bleachers also have wheelchair accessible areas that can be adjusted for our guests in need. 

High School Gym Floor and Bleachers



PHASE 2: STEAM Renovation and Addition at the Middle and High School


Drawing and design work is well underway for the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Manufacturing) renovation and addition to the high school.  The planning and design input from our staff along with the architects will result in a significant and exciting upgrade to our classes and the career pathways impacted by this work.  This project will go to bid this fall.  Construction on these projects will begin in the late fall of 2019 and will be completed by August of 2020. 

STEAM Floor Plan STEAM Site Plan

 



PHASE 3: New Elementary Grade 2-5 Building

Preliminary site drawings and building concept designs are being worked on by our core planning team.  While the building has yet to be named, early renderings are focused on many internal features for our new grade 2-5 building.  We have also put a great deal of effort into designing the traffic flow on the site with separated bus drop off and 2 planned parent/guardian drop off and pick up circles with ample parking for all.  We are in the early phases of design, but it is exciting to see these plans progress toward the opening of this building in the fall of 2021. 

Elementary Floor PlanElementary Site Plan


Elementary River WingA key feature to this building will be the the multi-use library space that can be seen upon walking up to the building. There will be 4 main design themes (River, Industrial Manufacturing, Wilderness, and Agriculture) throughout the building representing our local and state history in each of the grade level areas.  You will see these features represented in the halls, in the classroom colors, and in the overall common areas throughout the building design. 

 


Cafeteria-GymUpon entering the main central hub of the building, visitors will enter a larger commons/cafeteria area and see a gymnasium that will allow for a competition size court with a bleacher structure for seating.  When the bleachers are pulled back, the gym will be large enough for 2 regulation size basketball floors for practices or for various other activities.  

Take a look at the virtual walkthrough of the current design as well as the building and grounds foot print renderings.  




We thank you for your continued support in the redevelopment of our district facilities.  These are exciting times!

#WeAreTurner

Introduction

Vote April 3rd

In the School District of Beloit Turner, we are proud of the outstanding educational and co-curricular programs available to our students. While our focus will always be to provide a high-quality learning experience for our students, we also need to develop a plan to: 

  • Improve student and staff security;
  • Increase operational efficiencies;
  • Update and renovate classrooms; and
  • Update aging infrastructure that has exceeded its service life.

We believe this is a good time to consider our options because the District will soon be making the final payment on a loan associated with past building projects and interest rates continue to be at historic lows. 

To help accomplish this goal, a Citizens Facility Committee was formed in the Fall of 2016. The committee studied our schools’ maintenance and educational needs and identified potential projects which were then presented to the community through a survey. 

Community Survey

A community survey was conducted by School Perceptions in April/May 2017.

  • 861 responses
  • 21% participation rate
  • 83% of all respondents stated they were satisfied or very satisfied with the district
  • 54% of resident respondents advised the District to consider pursuing a referendum to improve our schools 
  • 53% of resident respondents advised the District to close Townview Elementary and build a new school
  • All residents rated the following middle/high school improvements as medium to high priority: expand/improve academic areas, updated electrical and plumbing system; and improve school security

Upon review of the survey results, the committee prioritized needs and identified a solution that reflects the priorities of the taxpayers and meets the needs of our students. 

The following solution was recommended to and approved by the Board of Education, and will appear on the November 6th ballot. 

Referendum Question

BE IT RESOLVED by the School Board of the School District of Beloit Turner, Rock County, Wisconsin, that there shall be issued, pursuant to Chapter 67, Wisconsin Statutes, General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $26,485,000 for the purpose of paying the costs of constructing a new elementary school; renovating the high school to expand programming in science, technology, engineering and math; and equipment acquisition related to said projects.

Shall the foregoing resolution of the School Board of the School District Turner be approved?

O Yes O No

What Differs from April 2018?

  1. Smaller investment in the new elementary school by building a single-court gymnasium and a separate multi-purpose room instead of a two-court gymnasium.
  2. Larger investment in safety and security improvements at Powers Elementary and the Middle/High School.
  3. Larger investment in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) through the inclusion of new art spaces.

Open House Dates, Times, and Locations

Sunday, September 23 | 7:00 AM - 1 PM at Turner High School
Wednesday, October 24 | 6:30 PM at Turner High School Library
Thursday, November 1 | 6:30 PM at Turner High School Library

History

Below is an overview of what was done during this referendum process.

  • 28 Sept. 2016

    Meeting topics included: Review Charge and Expectations, Presentation of Community Survey, Presentation of Facilities Assessment, Presentation of Open Enrollment, Presentation of 21st Century Learning, Tour of Townview Elementary.

  • 5 Oct. 2016

    Meeting Topics included: School Finance 101 by Baird, Tour of Powers Elementary, Travel to Middle/High School, Tour of Middle/High School, Identification of Options and Solutions.

  • 19 Oct. 2016

    Meeting Topics included: Committee Documentation of Needs, Small Group Discussion of Needs, Identification of Options and Solutions, Small Group Discussion of Options and Solutions.

  • 2 Nov. 2016

    Began Preparation of Community Survey.

    Meeting Topics included: Review Updated Needs Summary, Review Initial Thoughts on Options and Solutions, Small Group Discussion of Options and Solutions, Narrow Options and Solutions to be Considered.

  • 7 Dec. 2016

    Meeting Topics Included: Review Updated Options and Solutions, Review Preliminary Budgets, Small Group Discussion on Options; Solutions; and Preliminary Budgets, Finalize Options to be Surveyed.

  • 4 Jan. 2017

    Meeting Topics Included: Review Final Options to be Surveyed, Review Updated Budgets, Review Draft Survey.

  • 25 Jan. 2017

    Meeting Topic Included: Review Draft Survey.

  • 22 Feb. 2017

    Meeting Topic Included: Review Final Survey.

  • 24 March 2017

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  • 7 June 2017

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  • 21 June 2017

    Citizens Facility Study committee finalizes their recommendation for presentation to the Board of Education.

  • 14 Aug. 2017

    Citizens Facility Study committee gives the board their final recommendation to move forward with a $26.8 million referendum to build a new elementary school and renovate the STEM facilities in the high school/middle school.

  • 18 Sept. 2017

    The board holds a special meeting to discuss in detail the facility study committee’s recommendation.

  • 9 Oct. 2017

    The board reviewed a draft resolution for a potential referendum.

  • 23 Oct. 2017

    The board votes to approve initial bond resolution and referendum resolution for $26.8 million to be voted on during the April 3rd 2018 election.

  • 3 April 2018

    The $26.8 million referendum failed to pass on April 3rd by three votes.

  • 13 Aug. 2018

    The board votes to approve initial bond resolution and referendum resolution for $26.485 million to be voted on during the November 6th 2018 election.