Three options being considered for new and updated Dover schools
DOVER – School district officials are considering three possibilities for updating district facilities, with the most transformative option being a new pre-kindergarten through eighth grade building to replace four existing buildings.
Superintendent Karie McCrate says the School Board will likely vote on one of the proposals early next year with construction estimated to start in 2027. A 60-member community advisory committee is evaluating the proposals and working toward a recommendation. McCrate says this process started with a strategic plan crafted in 2022.
“This group has stayed true to the goals of meeting the targets in the way that is the most fiscally responsible and reduces the cost as much as possible to our local taxpayers,” she said.
More information is at http://dovertogether.com.
The construction would take place in phases. In the proposal that calls for a new school, part of that building would be built in phase one and the other part added on in phase two. The first phase of the other two options is the same – an addition to the middle school and the shuttering of Dover Avenue Elementary. The second phases are different. One continues to add onto the middle school, the other keeps East Elementary open with an addition. All of the options eventually lead to closing Dover South Elementary and 110-year-old Dover Avenue Elementary.
“[Dover Avenue] is an expensive property to maintain. Our goals from the beginning were to address Dover Avenue, to look at improved air quality, air conditioning for all students, to potentially reduce the number of campuses that we have to gain efficiencies, and to develop a plan that was fiscally aligned with our goal not return to taxpayers with another bond issue.”
The cost is about 70 to 80 million dollars, with the state covering more than half of that.
“Determining that Phase 1 here is what allows us to access all the resources through the OFCC, which allows us to lock in our rate at only 39 percent local share. It allows us to kind of get in line for the state money and hold our place. It allows us to lock in and take advantage of the 2025 costs.”
The district is covering its share with a shift of funds from operations to permanent improvements that is about the equivalent of a 4.4-mill property tax levy increase. District officials say it also makes them eligible to receive nearly 50 million dollars in state funding.