THE NEED
Failing school infrastructure diverts resources from students and learning.
It has been 11 years since residents supported school facility updates through a bond referendum. As a result, the district has made only necessary updates through its annual long-term facility maintenance funds.
The most urgent facility needs are:
Replace aging roofs. Roofs cannot be insured as they are past their lifespans, putting the school district at financial risk when severe weather strikes.
Replace aging and failing building systems/infrastructure/equipment. Boiler breakdowns at the elementary school have required multiple urgent repairs throughout the year, interrupting classroom learning.
Original, single-pane, inefficient windows are beyond their useful life, with peeling and cracking seals and trim, bringing drafts of outdoor air inside classrooms.
Remodel and renovate spaces to meet the educational needs of all students (ceilings, classroom furniture and storage, classroom flooring and finishes, restrooms, replace gymnasium bleachers).
We are Cougar Proud. Our students deserve a PreK-12 educational experience equal to their peers in neighboring school districts and program spaces that inspire them to become career and college ready.
Classroom furniture is worn and does not support current teaching and learning.
Flooring throughout the schools is worn, and in many places beyond repair.
Boiler breakdowns frequently disrupt learning.
Roofs are failing at both schools causing leaks and ceiling damage. Additionally, the roofs can no longer be insured because they are past their lifespans.
Multiple existing HVAC systems provide irregular heating and cooling throughout the school resulting in hot and cold spots that distract students from learning.
Gymnasium bleachers will be replaced to improve safety. The current bleachers are wooden and approximately 60 years old. They are also non-motorized.
Did You Know?
Investing in the facility:
Updates the schools, setting them up for many years of future use.
Saves operating costs, leaving more dollars for teachers and programs.
Retains staff, who might be lured to districts with better facilities.
Not investing in the facility:
Facilities challenges will not go away.
Excessive repair costs for some items could come from the general fund, reducing funds available for teachers and programs.
The cost for repairs and maintenance will be higher if they are delayed, due to inflation.
Some of the repairs could be addressed with an operating referendum. However, this would result in a higher tax levy because it would not take advantage of the 70% School Building Bond Agricultural Tax Credit for agriculture landowners.