District residents to vote on proposal for growth and learning
August 13, 2019
At the Aug. 12 meeting, the Moorhead School Board moved forward with a construction plan for growth and learning by approving the ballot language for the district’s $110 million Nov. 5 bond referendum.
The $110 million in proposed construction projects will provide students in grades 9-12 with safe, inviting and inclusive learning environments that include:
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Safety and security with a welcoming entrance;
- Accessible classroom space for a growing student enrollment;
- Flexible learning spaces to promote collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity; and
- Performing arts space, athletic fields, and multi-purpose activity spaces for both student and community use.
The community and school district have been growing since 2005. In the last five years, the district’s K-8 enrollment has grown by more than 850 students and new schools opened in 2017 to address K-8 capacity. Those students will be high school students in the coming 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 high school facilities planning process. The task forces determined that the current Moorhead High School facility, which is more than 50 years old, lacks capacity and adequacy to meet the needs of today’s high school students. The proposed projects are a result of the planning process.
If the referendum is approved, the $110 million bond would provide for growth and learning by:
- Rebuilding Moorhead High School to serve 2,200-2,400 students on the existing site; and
- Renovating the former Sam’s Club building as a career academy to provide all secondary students with multiple opportunities to explore career pathways.
Superintendent Brandon Lunak told the School Board that if voters approve the school funding request, taxes would increase by $93 annually or less than $8 a month on a $200,000 home. The impact on taxpayers also decreases as the tax base in the school district grows.
Categorized under: School