Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Weld RE-5J is awaiting final approval of a Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant from the State to fund about 28 percent of the cost to replace Letford Elementary School. These monies would not need to be repaid. Weld RE-5J may be the only district this year that receives a large BEST grant of over $5 million to help fund the replacement a school. This is due to the poor condition of Letford Elementary School relative to other aging school buildings throughout the state. BEST grant applications from all school districts statewide totaled $983.3 million this year. The District would be very fortunate to receive this funding. 

Both Option A and Option B include the replacement of the 63-year-old Letford Elementary School. The two proposals also address improvements to the Early Learning Center, Milliken Elementary School, Pioneer Ridge Elementary and Knowledge Quest Academy.

Option A has an estimated tax impact $7.30 per month per $100,000 of a home’s actual value. Option B has an estimated tax impact of $4.92 per month per $100,000 of a home’s actual value. The tax impact estimates assume current total assessed valuation, receipt of a $9.5 million BEST grant, and the use of premium bonds representing 7.5% of the par value of the bond issue. 

Weld RE-5J has one of the lowest total mill levies compared to other school districts in the area. The only peer districts with a lower mill levy are Fort Lupton and Gilcrest. However, these districts have a much higher total assessed valuation.

There are a variety of factors that would be considered, including distance students must travel to and from the high school; cost to purchase land and install necessary roads and utilities; ability to expand the high school in the future to address enrollment growth; proximity to other Weld RE-5J schools; and proximity to existing and future residential development.

The total estimated cost of Option A is $159 million, broken down as follows:

• Replacement of Letford Elementary School at New Location in Johnstown…$24,553,305 (assuming BEST grant is received)
• New High School at New Location…$115,000,000
• Improvements to Milliken Elementary School…$4,000,000
• Improvements to Pioneer Ridge Elementary School…$1,709,666
• Improvements to Early Learning Center…$250,000
• Improvements to Knowledge Quest Academy…$1,000,000
• Improvements to Roosevelt High School (to Serve as Middle School)…$12,500,000

Option A includes the construction of a new high school and the conversion of the existing high school into a middle school. Option B includes the construction of a new middle school and improvements to the high school to allow it to continue serving as the high school. 

A voter-approved MLO provides additional operating monies, typically for instructional programs and other high-priority operating expenses. Voter-approved bond measures, on the other hand, are often used to fund new schools and facility improvements.

All spending from a voter-approved bond measure would be publicly disclosed and project updates would be presented at community information meetings as well as on the District’s website: www.weldre5j.k12.co.us.

The Town of Johnstown has agreed to transfer 10 acres of property at the Clearview neighborhood site. The current Letford site is about six acres and a new 700-student school would not fit on the current site.

The District’s school buildings are aging and in need of significant renovations or replacement. The middle school is also operating beyond capacity.

Yes. If pursued, only one bond proposal would appear on the ballot.