Helena school officials warn that students from the city’s two high schools could end up sharing Capital High in a “split-shift” system if voters this fall reject a proposed multimillion-dollar bond.
Earlier this summer, the Helena Public School District Board of Trustees approved seeking $283 million in combined bonds to fund the replacement of Helena High and Kessler Elementary and the renovation of Capital High to address ongoing maintenance issues at the aging facilities.
As district officials continue to educate the community about the bonds, Helena School District Assistant Superintendent Josh McKay told city commissioners Wednesday what students, parents and the community should expect if the request fails this September.
McKay said if bonds don’t pass, district officials would have to go back to the trustees to determine how to fund the $100 million worth of deferred maintenance throughout the district. That could potentially mean seeking another bond in the future, which would be more costly due to inflation, he said.
The delay would also mean risking the further failure of crucial infrastructure, specifically at Helena High, which has already lost the function of one of its three steam boilers, ultimately leading to the building’s closure.
McKay said it’s only a matter of time before Helena High’s entire heating system becomes inoperable. When it does, the district would enact an emergency plan to create a “split-shift” schedule at the Capital High campus.
Helena High students and faculty would attend school from 6 a.m. to noon, and Capital High students would then go to school from noon to 6 p.m.
“We are walking into that scenario no matter what,” McKay said. ”… Walking into a split-shift scenario is basically a reality we have to plan for, regardless.”
McKay noted that the split-shift plan is “highly unpopular” with some community members. Consolidating the two schools would disrupt students’ lives and their engagement with sports, work obligations and club activities.
“That split-shift means that your kids, my kids, everybody’s kids would go to the school time they’re assigned, and everything else they do in their life is going to wrap around that,” McKay said. “… That is not a good thing. We think kids would disengage with public school.”
Callie Aschim, the president and CEO of the Helena Area Chamber of Commerce, also attended the Wednesday meeting, telling commissioners that a shared high school would have unintended implications for the local economy.
“That split-shift means that your kids, my kids, everybody’s kids would go to the school time they’re assigned, and everything else they do in their life is going to wrap around that.”
Josh McKay, school district assistant superintendent
The local workforce would be significantly impacted if students were pulled from their jobs to accommodate the new school schedule, Aschim said. She estimates that each Helena business employs about two high school students.
Business owners also worry about employee attraction and retention because potential workers consider the school district a determining factor when deciding whether to move to Helena for a job.
“We’ve heard from several of our medical partners about touring doctors or touring partners into our community,” Aschim said. “And when they go and look at schools, they’re often looking at living in other communities because they don’t feel that our facilities meet our needs.”
Additionally, Aschim said local young professionals are worried about staying in Helena if the facility bonds fail.
“They’re not certain about keeping their kids in our school district if we’re a community that’s not willing to invest in our school systems,” Aschim said.
The bonds, appearing on a Sept. 9 ballot, are divided by elementary and high school districts.
If the $240 million high school bond passes, homeowners with properties valued at $300,000 would pay a tax increase of about $220 per year for 30 years. Properties valued at $600,000 would see an annual tax increase of about $506.
If voters approve the $43 million elementary bond, homeowners with properties valued at $300,000 could pay a tax increase of about $40 annually for 20 years, while properties valued at $600,000 would see an annual tax increase of about $91, according to a sample tax impact analysis.
Residents can calculate their exact tax impact on the school district’s bond website.
Absentee ballots are expected to be mailed on Friday, Aug. 22.
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