Community survey to focus on school facility study

Aurora Public Schools will distribute a survey in the coming weeks hoping to gather community input regarding facility needs throughout the district which have prompted in-depth discussions about a possible bond issue election.
A community advisory group met for the fifth time since November last week, this time reviewing next steps forward in a strategic planning initiative that began more than three years ago. Supt. Jody Phillips reviewed information gathered and shared during previous sessions, then said he believes it is time to get direct feedback from the community heading into the summer months.
“I do appreciate everyone’s participation in this,” Phillips told a group of approximately 40 community members. “Again, the whole goal has been to engage, and as I’ve asked you several times, to go and talk to people. That is kind of the purpose, and that is the goal. I don’t really want someone to say I don’t know what’s going on, or I didn’t know anything about this by the time we get to it. I want everyone to know about it and know how they feel, and at least be educated so they can make a good decision.”
Much of the discussion at the April 22 meeting focused on a community survey now being drafted. Phillips reviewed the questions to be asked, explaining that the goal is to be able to use data analytics in a Google format to determine how certain subgroups respond, whether they be parents with children in the school system, retirees, property owners, ag and business representatives, etc.
“It would be good to know what the responses are for those who have kids in school right now versus those who do not have kids in school right now,” he said while reviewing responses from a test run survey limited to the advisory group. “These will be multiple-choice questions, so you can check more than one (answer per question).”
Phillips emphasized that he believes it is important to conduct what will likely be the first of two community surveys now, allowing time to process that information over the summer months while keeping the community engaged. A second survey is being considered for the fall, at which time more specific project plans, and estimated costs, are expected to be ready for review.
“Our district and most every other district does not have the taxing authority or ability to be able to generate enough funds to do a construction project, whether that be remodel or brand new,” he said. “What I gather from the comments that I’ve received is that there are a lot of people that know something is brewing. They’ve read that there have been these meetings and they’ve heard that there was a study and that there are architects involved. If we drag them on any more I think we’re going to start losing some interest from folks.”
Phillips suggested that the community survey be conducted in the next few weeks, allowing time for the advisory committee to review the results before the end of the school year.
“I feel like I need to take the next step and dive in and see if I can swim with this or not, and to begin to educate people and communicate with our community, to say exactly what we’ve been doing,” he said. “Here’s the point we’re at now. We are starting to ask our community, everybody, to start giving us some feedback.”

Survey questions
The group discussed specific questions to be included the survey, determining that it is premature to list specific dollar amounts on a possible bond issue since no formal plan has been proposed. Instead, the survey will be used to gauge the level of support for potential projects, which could include upgrading technology, upgrading indoor air quality/energy efficiency, ensuring structural integrity, enhancing outdoor athletic complexes, improving/expanding the theater, adding a third gymnasium, adding space for boys/girls wrestling on campus, adding space to expand the preschool program, remodeling the current high school, or building a new high school.
“I definitely think the communication, education about this process is vital at this point in time,” Phillips said. “From an engagement standpoint, if you can click a button to say how you feel I think that validates people, however they’re feeling or whatever they’re thinking, and it also starts that engagement process.
“I think if we go back to that survey and make some changes so that no one is committing to much of anything, then we at least start some engagement and people have voiced some thoughts,” he continued. “It also gives us information to be able to say, okay, we had a sector of people say they had no idea the conditions of the buildings. How do we attack that.”
Some of the options discussed to help educate the community included open houses, tours, videos posted online, social media, and newspaper articles.
Phillips concluded the 90-minute meeting by announcing that the advisory group will meet May 19 to review the results of the survey and offer feedback. The administration and school board will then share that information with BVH Architecture to create a plan based on the survey results and committee’s recommendations. He mentioned spring of 2027 as a possible date for a school bond election, though that is subject to change.