District residents to vote on proposal for growth and learning
August 12, 2015
At the Aug. 10 meeting, the Moorhead School Board moved forward with a construction plan for growth and learning by approving the ballot language for the district’s $78.2 million Nov. 3 bond referendum.
The $78.2 million in proposed construction projects will provide students with safe, inviting and inclusive learning environments that include:
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Secure entrances at all schools,
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Flexible learning spaces to promote creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking,
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Buildings designed for age-appropriate learning experiences, and
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Performing arts spaces for both student and community use.
The community and school district have been growing since 2005 and are projected to grow over the next 10 years. To accommodate this growth and provide students with the 21st century learning experiences they need to succeed, Moorhead Area Public Schools engaged in an extensive community-driven facilities planning process during the 2014-15 school year. The proposed projects are a result of that process.
If the referendum is approved, the $78.2 million bond would provide for growth and learning by:
- Adding secure entries in all school buildings;
- Creating adequate, appropriate and flexible learning environments for students from early childhood through grade 8;
- Building an addition to Horizon Middle School that will create a shared grades 5-6 and grades 7-8 campus, each with its own separate entrance;
- Building an auditorium for school and community use at Horizon Middle School.
- Building a K-4 elementary;
- Restoring the early childhood and district education center (Probstfield Center for Education) focused on the needs of our youngest learners; and
- Investing in existing buildings when able and building new when needed.
Greg Crowe, financial adviser with Ehlers, told the School Board that if voters approve the school funding request, taxes would increase by approximately $9 a month on a $150,000 home.
The debt is structured so although the tax rate will increase for the next five years, it will return to the current tax rate by 2022 for the remainder of the 20-year bond, he said. The impact on taxpayers also decreases as the tax base and population in the school district grow.
Categorized under: School