By VICKI URBANIK

Similar to the group that was formed that began studying the need for a new Chesterton High School, the Duneland School Corporation is in the process of forming a “key communicator group” to study current building and educational needs, with an emphasis at the elementary level.

The school board on Thursday approved a $13,500 contract with consultant Robert Boyd of Indiana State University to guide the new group, as recommended by Duneland Superintendent Dirk Baer. Boyd has overseen a similar study for the Union Township Schools.

Baer said the Duneland Key Communicator Group will be made up of about 25 to 30 people representing a range of interests, including teachers, parents, administrators and business owners. He said that the group will likely meet twice a month, tentatively on Thursdays, for about four to five months before presenting its recommendations.

Baer said the feasibility group will focus on educational needs and what might be lacking in school facilities. The group will visit all the school buildings, but will probably look the closest at the kindergarten through sixth grade buildings, he said.

When asked why Duneland needs to hire an outside consultant, Baer said it’s important that the process be as neutral as possible. If the end result is a recommendation for new school construction, he said that recommendation should not be driven by the school administration, but by a broad group of people representing the community.

Baer said anyone from the community who would like to submit their name for consideration for the group can contact his office. He said that after last month’s meeting, when a demographic study was released and the plans for the new communicator group first announced, about four or five people expressed an interested in serving.

For some time, school officials have talked about the possible need for a new school, likely at the elementary level. Earlier this year, the board purchased a 26-acre parcel adjacent to the Liberty Township Schools and have continued looking at other sites.

Last month, demographer Jerome McKibben gave a report that forecast that Duneland School’s enrollment will climb by about 500 students in the next decade, with Liberty Elementary School seeing the largest enrollment increase until hitting its peak in 2014.

The new Key Communicator Group will be like the one formed in the 1990s that was initially charged with studying whether a new CHS was needed. But as Duneland School Board member Michael Trout recalled, that group found that there were other pressing building needs, and as a result, the school board first added onto Bailly and Yost elementary schools before agreeing to build a new high school.

Although $13,500 may sound like a lot, Trout said it will be money well spent.

Baer said he will narrow down the list of names submitted for the new group and present the names at the school board’s next meeting, which was rescheduled to Jan. 15. He said the school board will make the final decision on who will serve on the communicator group. The group’s meetings will be open to the public.

More Borrowing

The school board authorized another round of borrowing -- the third time this calendar year -- by granting approval for a $9 million tax anticipation warrant to keep the school system operating before receiving its property tax distribution. This latest loan will need to be paid back by the end of 2008.

Duneland Business Manager Bonnie Gaston said Chase Bank offered the lowest rate among 10 lenders at 3.2 percent interest. The interest payment will total $317,120.

The Duneland Schools still have two other tax warrants that need to be paid back from earlier this year, totaling $480,000 in interest payments. Such tax warrants are common every year, but this year has been unusual for schools and other taxing units, many of which have found themselves having to borrow more than once due to the late property tax bills.

Gaston said if the school system doesn’t get any property tax draws before the end of the year, those two loans won’t be paid off as originally scheduled but will be rolled into the new year. Porter County officials do intend to make advance tax distributions to taxing units now that the tax bills have been mailed and are starting to be paid.

Posted 12/14/2007