Residents Rank Academics & Capacity Needs as Top Priority

The Franklin School District Board of Education received the results from a recent community-wide facilities survey during a regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, May 23, 2012. More than 1650 residents completed the survey which was mailed to all district households and available online.

For several years, the District has searched for a reasonable and cost effective approach to address our facility and capacity needs at Forest Park Middle School and Franklin High School.This effort identifies potential project components rather than a single solution as part of a comprehensive Facility Master Plan.The School Board initiated the survey to gather input specifically about how these individual components can be combined into project phases that allow the District to address prioritized needs. The School Board recognizes that all phases must reflect the priorities of all district residents as well as our students and families.

The survey was designed and administered by School Perceptions LLC, an independent research firm from Slinger, WI that specializes in gathering and analyzing public perceptions regarding schools. Bill Foster, President of School Perceptions, reviewed some of the major findings with the School Board. The complete report is now available on the district website for complete review at www.franklin.k12.wi.us and a hard copy is also available at the District Office.

Highlights from the School Perceptions report include: VIEW REPORT HERE.

• -56% of respondents indicated they would likely support a referendum to update and expand facilities this fall.
• The highest ranked priority was to increase academic capacity at Franklin High School by expanding general classrooms and science areas, creating a secure main entry, and addressing parking.
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• -The second highest priority was expanding and renovating art and music classroom areas and adding an auditorium for both school and community use.

• -The next highest priority was addressing immediate space needs at Forest Park Middle School which includes renovating the existing gym into new classroom and Special Education areas, expanding the cafeteria, replacing the gym, and improving traffic flow, parking, and site safety. This approach would not move the sixth grade out of the elementary schools and into Forest Park at this time.

• -Lower priorities included expanding the High School gym, locker rooms, fitness area, and parking, along with improving outdoor athletics and renovating the existing pool.

“Our community has provided the School Board with very valuable feedback on prioritizing the needs and project components identified in our Facility Master Plan,” noted Superintendent Steve Patz. “We sincerely appreciate the time our residents spent taking this critical community survey and will consider it seriously as the together we work to shape the future of the Franklin community.”

Residents are invited to learn more about the survey results first-hand and provide additional feedback at the third facilities planning workshop on Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at the Franklin High School Green Room at 6:00 PM. Organized similarly to the first two workshops, the meeting will be interactive and encourage further community conversation.

Please visit our facilities page to learn more.