Fort Zumwalt details recruitment gains and bond spending plan; seeks third‑party facility assessment
Summary
District leaders reported progress on recruitment and retention goals and a status update on the $125 million Prop R/4 bond program, and said staff will issue an RFP for a comprehensive facility needs assessment before planning a future bond.
Fort Zumwalt R‑II leaders told the school board they are meeting and, in some cases, exceeding targets set under the district’s Continuous School Improvement Plan (CSIP) while moving ahead on projects paid for from the $125 million bond program.
The update, delivered during the board’s meeting under “old business,” focused on two CSIP priorities: recruitment and retention, and efficiency and operations tied to bond spending. Dr. St. Pierre, superintendent, and Dr. Myers, a district administrator, led the presentation and emphasized that the district has sold $75 million of the $125 million bond and is preparing to plan how to use the remaining $50 million.
District staff said recruitment work has produced measurable gains. Dr. Neal, the district’s director of recruitment and retention, described a suite of tactics — streamlined applications, an in‑person kiosk option, use of a text messaging tool called Emissary, and public outreach — that have increased applications per vacancy by roughly 31% compared with last year, exceeding the CSIP three‑year target of a 15% increase.
To reduce resignations, the district has rolled out mentor programs for teachers and paraprofessionals, new‑hire surveys at 30 days, expanded professional learning communities and a virtual employee wellness program called WellBeats. Officials said paraprofessional mentoring has coincided with more hires, fewer vacancies and fewer resignations in that category.
On facility planning, Dr. Myers said the district is drafting an RFP to hire a third‑party firm to perform a comprehensive facility needs assessment that would include structural conditions, inventory and replacement schedules for high‑cost items. "We want to see what numbers come back to us on bids and costs," he said, adding that the board will consider approval only if pricing and scope are acceptable.
District construction staff reviewed substantially completed bond projects — including the Clinton Center addition, North High School commons and multi‑purpose room, and a storm shelter at Pheasant Point — and said final costs have generally tracked below architect and engineer estimates. Officials noted that inflation has increased costs across projects but suggested accelerating some HVAC work reduced long‑term inflationary exposure.
Presenters also described three storm shelter design approaches completed in the bond cycle and asked the board to consider whether future growth should be addressed by new buildings or by incorporating storm‑shelter classroom designs in existing schools.
No formal board action was requested or taken on the RFP or future bond planning at this meeting; staff said they will return with pricing and a recommendation if bids are favorable.
The presentation named several staff working on these items, including Dr. Neal (recruitment and retention), Erin Williams (chief human resources officer), Toby (facilities and construction) and Brian (facilities staff). The board did not vote on bond spending at this session.
