Tuesday, December 21, 1999

3 schools to be renovated

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Project needs business support

BY ANDREA TORTORA
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        FLORENCE — Boone County Schools will begin more than $19 million in renovations at three buildings this spring under a federal program that allows the district to get interest-free funds for the projects.

        As a condition of the program, called Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, the school district must receive support from businesses.

IMPROVEMENTS

Boone County Schools' $19 million in renovations begin in March. The projects at three schools will take between 18 months and 24 months to complete.   BOONE COUNTY HIGH   Cost: $3.5 million   Space added: 12,300 square feet   Space renovated: 15,755 square feet   Result: New library and cafeteria, a new commons area and entrance to building. New computer and art rooms.   BURLINGTON ELEMENTARY   Cost: $7.5 million   Space added: 47,390 square feet   Space renovated: 10,330 square feet   Result: 17 new classrooms, including art, computer and music rooms; a new kitchen, cafeteria and gym.   FLORENCE ELEMENTARY   Cost: $8 million   Space added: 48,725 square feet   Space renovated: 20,899 square feet   Result: 24 new classrooms, including space for a computer lab, resource room and preschool classes; a library, a new kitchen, a new gym or a new cafeteria.

        Citibank; Cinergy; the Boone County Education Foundation; city, county and state officials; Rep. Ken Lucas, D-Richwood; and the Florence Rotary promised Monday to help.

        “We look at this as an investment,” said Jeff Baioni, Citibank communications manager. “We will continue to invest money and time with the students. These are the people of our community.”

        The district plans improvements at Burlington and Flor ence elementary schools and Boone County High.

        “The whole idea is to bring every single school up to some kind of a standard,” said Mike Hibbitt, assistant superintendent.

        When work is complete, school officials say every school will have the same or similar amenities. Now there are large disparities, from the brand-new Erpenbeck Elementary in Florence to the much older Burlington Elementary, which has no water on the third floor.

        “To parents and the community their perception is changed when new schools are bright and shiny and you're in a school built in the '30s or '40s,” Superintendent Bryan Blavatt said.

        Proceeds from the bonds cannot be used for construction.

        The district is building NorthPointe Elementary School in Hebron. Erpenbeck Elementary School in Florence opened in fall 1998.

        Meanwhile, older buildings need repairs and renovations.

        Created when Congress passed the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, Qualified Zone Academy bonds are like no-interest loans. The amount saved in interest amounts to $1.2 million saved by taxpayers.

        In other words, for every $100,000 borrowed with no interest, the district gets $1 million in bonding potential.

        Qualified Zone Academy bonds are designed to strengthen schools serving large concentrations of low-income families. The federal government subsidizes the 15-year bonds with tax credits.

        To qualify, schools must be in an empowerment zone or have at least 35 percent of students eligible for free and reduced lunch.

        Schools must also have a partnership with a business that makes a contribution worth 10 percent of the bond proceeds.

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