Bonding Defeat Will Mean Junior High Double Shifts

(First Of A Series) Doublé shifts at Ann Arbor's four junior high schools are a "real possibility" by the fall of 1971 if the city's fifth junior high isn't built and open by that time, according to School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. And if the $4,950,000 million bond issue for construction of that fifth junior high is turned down by the voters June 9 - like the last two bond issues were - the new school could not be opened until at least January of 1972, and probably later. The Ann Arbor School trict's bonding proposal next Monday will contain only that one item. Westerman frankly told the school board he feit a larger bond issue simply wouldn't have a chance of success, in the face of other money requests facing the voters next week. These are a 6.67-mill request for Ann Arbor School District operational funds, and a half-mill proposal for Washtenaw Intermedíate School District special education programs. All three items will be on the June 9 ballot. Voters will also choose three Ann Arbor school board trustees that day. Funds for a fifth junior high, which will be nearly a replica of Scarlett Junior High and will be located at Nixon and Bluett Rds., on the city's northeast side, were fequested twice in 1968. As a result of the two defeats, school officials expect crowding at the present four junior highs for the next few years. More portable classrooms at all four schools will "definitely" be used during this interim period, according to the superintendent. But by the fall of 1971, about 5,000 junior high students are expected to be enrolled. Since the current four junior highs are built to accommodate 950 pupils each - or a total of 3,800- Westerman predicts "we might well have to go to split shifts in the 1971-72 school year," if the fifth junior high is not ready to open by that time. If the bond issue fails next week, December is the earliest date it could be resubmitted to the electorate. If put to the voters and approved next December, experts b e 1 i e v e the earliest possible date the new school could be opened is uary of 1972. Because the $4,950,000 school is nearly identical to Scarlett, w i t h "minor improvements" and "some economies," Westerman says the school district is ready to take bids on the school immediately if the voters say "yes" June 9. Westerman calis the fifth junior high the "most urgent, most critical" of all the school district's "backlogged" building needs. "This is no cry of wolf," he told the school board in April. "There is a genuine need for this junior high." Only property owners may vote on the $4.9 million bonding issue. If it is approved, it would mean a millage increase in 1969-70 of .09 of a mili over the 1968-69 tax bilí, or 9 cents per $1,000 of state equalized valuation. (A total of 32.58 milis for operations and d e b t service were levied on Ann Arbor School District voters in 1968-69.) Amounts in subsequent years will depend on tax base growth and other variables. The actual cost of the bonding issue itself is about .58 of a mili, or 58 cents per $1,000 of state equalized valuation. If both the bonding and mili proposal.for school operations are successful next week, it would mean an increase over the 1968-69 taL bilí of $3.39 per $1,000, or $37129 next year for the "average"! Ann Arbor homeowner whosë house is assessed at $11,000. Another bonding issue for construction of ajthird senior high school in the city also is expected to face Ann Arbor School District voters' "sometime within this calendar year," according to Westerman. The cost of the new high ' school has been estimated at afcout $9 million.