Superintendent’s Corner
Bryce Valley Elementary School Construction Update
We are moving forward on the construction of Bryce Valley Elementary School in Tropic. As a property owner, you may have noticed that for the last two years, you paid a lower tax rate on school district portion of your total tax. Next year, the tax rates will revert back and the property tax funding for our schools will return to normal.
Bryce Valley and Panguitch are both scheduled for elementary school replacements. Their plans are very similar and the end products will be almost identical, except for the variance in size. Both buildings are scheduled to have a classroom number that equals their current use, plus one extra classroom for growth. The plans will already have drafts for expansion, should additional classrooms need to be added in the future.
I met with the faculty of BVES on two different occasions, specifically to get their input on what their new school needs to be successful. Their input is then forwarded to our architect for vetting and incorporation into the new design. Mayor Brinkerhoff from Topic asked if the communities would be involved in input for the project.
We plan to hold a community discussion at the BVHS auditorium before the Christmas holiday, to give our communities with an opportunity to provide input on the project and to gather further desires to make this school as effective and efficient as possible.
Because this project is competing with a skilled labor force that is currently booked completing projects in other Southern Utah communities, our entrance into the market for both bidding and construction will need to be timed to get us the best prices and workforce. The district has a Construction Management General Contractor, specifically to help us track other projects and enter the market at the precise time for success. Currently, we plan to have construction start at the end of the frost cycle in Tropic.
The best news of the BVES building project is that, the district has current cash reserves to complete 100% of the BVES project, without borrowing or taxing the county patrons. If you would like me to address your particular group or function and answer any questions, please contact me at the district.
Tracy Davis, Superintendent – Garfield County School District
