Dear District 65 Community -

Last night, our School Board continued its discussion for our new Fifth Ward School. On October 23, they reached a consensus to plan for a new school to serve K-5 students. The shift in scope was the result of budgetary concerns. 

Since that time our team has met with our architectural firm to develop building design plans that can meet the learning needs of all students. To inform the process, our team engaged staff for their feedback on important considerations for the overall design, layout, and learning spaces within the school.

Building Design Options
Two building design options along with funding scenarios were presented to the Board and are detailed in a memorandum and presentation. Both designs are for a two-story building that will serve 600 kindergarten through fifth grade students. The main differences are total estimated cost and building square footage (specifically there is an additional multipurpose room space in Option 2).

After careful consideration, the School Board reached initial consensus to plan for Option 2 (estimated preliminary budget of $48.4 million) with a K-5 building design totaling 84,400 square feet. The additional space will allow for greater flexibility for student programming, enrichment opportunities, and potential community use.

I care very deeply about building the best possible school and doing so within a financially responsible manner. Over the course of the next month, we will closely review design plans and the preliminary budget in an effort to tighten our belts and find greater efficiencies.

The Board will formally vote on a resolution to approve the building design and estimated budget at their January 22, 2024 meeting. Should the resolution pass, bidding will begin in February with an anticipated school opening at the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies Impact
With consensus reached to plan for a K-5 school, it was important to both our School Board and Administration to engage in a discussion about the future of Bessie Rhodes.

I am very aware that the shift in plans from a larger K-8 school and the subsequent uncertainty has been especially challenging for this community. The Board engaged in a robust discussion based on recommendations from an internal committee (outlined in the above memo) and while the Board had varying viewpoints, ultimately the majority indicated favor on the following future plans for Bessie Rhodes:

• K-5 students will be assigned to the Fifth Ward School (the new school will contain two TWI strands and these students will be guaranteed a seat)
• Upon opening of the new school, the Two-Way Immersion dual language program will be expanded to Haven Middle School and 6-8 grade students from Bessie Rhodes will attend this school
• All students continue to have the option to return to their neighborhood school
• 5th Ward School becomes an elementary feeder to Haven Middle School
• Bessie Rhodes will close starting in the 2026-2027 school year

Next Steps
Continued discussion on the future of Bessie Rhodes at the January 16, 2024 Committee of the Whole Meeting
A resolution will be presented for a Board vote on the design plans for the 5th Ward School on January 22, 2024.

The recording of last night’s Board meeting is now available on our D65 website. We will continue to provide updates to our families, staff, and community members about our planning and next steps. Thank you for your continued support.

Dr. Angel Turner (she/her)
Interim Superintendent