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What a property tax improve would imply for one Indianapolis faculty — science weblog
The planetarium at Arlington Center College has been left unused for years, gathering mud as a space for storing stuffed with chairs, keyboards, and bins.
But when voters say sure to a $410 million poll query in Might, the deserted gem — which was the primary highschool planetarium in Indiana when it was devoted in 1965 — will probably be restored.
Indianapolis Public Colleges’ proposed tax improve would pay for constructing enhancements at Arlington and 22 different colleges because the district rolls out its Rebuilding Stronger reorganization.
The plan additionally goals to create a extra effectively run district with higher tutorial choices, shut six colleges, and provide specialised tutorial programming at others.
Arlington Center College’s planetarium has sat unused for years. If voters approve a poll query in Might, new funding will carry the area again to life.
Amelia Pak-Harvey/Chalkbeat
It additionally breaks up the district’s Okay-8 colleges, creating distinct elementary and center colleges, in order that college students can obtain higher tutorial and extracurricular choices — from band and world languages to softball and baseball.
Arlington Center College will obtain $66 million if the poll measure is profitable, making it the only largest beneficiary among the many 23 colleges. Arlington would rework right into a STEM faculty in 2024-25 and combine the planetarium into the curriculum. The college would additionally add sixth grade to its present seventh and eighth grades.
It will additionally add an 81,000-square-foot, two-story addition, create a brand new media heart and household useful resource heart, and set up science labs and a makerspace.
“The subsequent chapter of Arlington is thrilling as a result of we get to write down a brand new narrative,” mentioned Principal Iesha Billups.
The poll measure’s income would additionally revive the varsity’s athletic fields, which have been crucial when the varsity served grades 7-12 however which college students don’t use a lot now.
The upgrades will rework these fields into high-quality, competition-ready fields.
“When it’s accomplished, children will be capable to observe six sports activities concurrently throughout this area,” mentioned IPS Chief Operations Officer Invoice Murphy on Thursday morning, as he stood behind the varsity and appeared over the fields.
IPS Chief Operations Officer Invoice Murphy explains proposed upgrades to Arlington Center College’s athletic fields. Though the varsity has a softball area and tennis courts, center faculty college students don’t at the moment use them. Officers hope a $410 million capital referendum will change that.
Amelia Pak-Harvey/Chalkbeat
A key aim of the tax improve is to carry all elementary and center colleges into good situation inside the subsequent eight years, in order that these buildings solely require routine upkeep as an alternative of huge investments involving HVAC or roof repairs.
Officers say that greater than 30% of the district’s are in “poor” situation, which means the fee to renovate the constructing is between 30% and 40% of the fee to interchange all the constructing. A 2020 evaluation commissioned by IPS reported that Arlington was in “good” situation, which means that the price of upgrades the varsity wants is barely between 10% and 20% of the fee to interchange all the constructing
However Arlington, inbuilt 1961, would nonetheless get upgrades to its roof, inside lighting, fireplace alarms, and cameras and safety, Murphy mentioned.
“If you concentrate on the scholar expertise every single day, displaying up at a faculty that’s too scorching or too chilly, that doesn’t have water that runs clear, clear, and rapidly, is an actual downer,” he mentioned. “And these are the kinds of preconditions that set college students up for achievement.”
Enhancements at different colleges embrace upgrades to allow Thomas Carr Howe Center College to enroll college students as soon as once more, and a brand new constructing on the web site of Joyce Kilmer College 69.
Early voting is at the moment out there on the Indianapolis Metropolis-County Constructing, with further websites opening on April 22.
Election day is Might 2. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to six p.m., and Marion County residents can vote at any of the county’s voting facilities.
Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Marion County colleges for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org.