Post date: Aug 20, 2012 12:28:25 AM
On August 28, Bartlesville voters will be presented with a bond issue that focuses on allowing the BPSD to continue its academic excellence by providing students and staff with the essentials for excellence. The bond proposal totals 12.675 million dollars over seven years and calls for NO tax increase.
The largest project of the proposed bond will involve the removal of portables at Richard Kane Elementary School and the addition of a new early childhood center. The plan for the new addition is similar to what has been recently constructed at other elementary schools in the district. The district’s youngest students – those in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten – are currently housed in five classrooms in the three portables. Removal of the portables at Kane would eliminate all portables at elementary schools throughout the district. This project makes up approximately 80 percent of the construction funding and 20 percent of the overall funding for the current bond proposal. The total cost of the project is $2.5 million.
Jane Phillips would see the addition of windows to the currently windowless cafeteria. This would allow for natural lighting and the reduction of energy usage.
Hoover is the only elementary school in the district without a secured entrance. The lack of security allows the opportunity for visitors to slip by the office without checking in. With the addition of the secured entrance, all visitors would be forced to enter the main office before gaining access to the rest of the building. This would mean enhanced security for all at the school. Additionally at Hoover, the bond proposal would secure funding to update bathroom facilities, add a canopy over the much frequented east entrance, and the gymnasium would also see some attention as a portion of the facility would be reainted and reresurfaced.
The bond proposal would allow for the addition of new asphalt to the playground at Ranch Heights. This addition would greatly enhance the area for students and teachers to utilize.
Playground improvements are also planned for Wilson if the Aug. 28 bond issue passes. Improvements would involve a new backstop for softball and baseball, and some new railroad ties and gravel for the play area.
Currently, Wayside lacks effective storage space, but with the passage of the bond proposal that would be changed. A new storage room would be built between two of the building wings to allow for adequate storage space. Presently, school records are being housed in a janitor’s closet and items are sometimes forced to be stored in hallways. A covered walkway would be added from the main building to the gymnasium to help shield students, staff members and visitors in the event of inclement weather.
Custer Stadium would see only 3 percent of the total bond funds for updates. The funding would allow for Custer Stadium to be updated and become a more comfortable and safe place to watch football, track or soccer and enjoy graduation, among many other things. Presently, any people have difficulty navigating the steep stadium stairs without handrails, the stadium lighting is poor and buzzes loudly, the sound system is old and antiquated, and there is not sufficient area on the east side of the facility for patrons to use the restroom and get concessions. For many, Custer stadium is the facility they most frequently visit within the Bartlesville Public School District and it is important that the facility represent the community well. With the updates, it would allow students, staff and community members to take full advantage of the outstanding facility. It should be noted that there will be NO new construction of a press box in this bond proposal.
Also part of the bond proposal, funds would be allocated to allow for the purchase of instructional materials vital to classroom teaching. The three key components include supplemental textbook funding, Foss science kit replacement at elementary schools and the replacement of science laboratory equipment at secondary schools. Presently, textbook funding from the state is at $55 per student per year. However, most new textbooks cost roughly $100. The bond money would allow the district to continue to help buy textbooks for students to ensure they have up-to-date learning literature. New science kits for elementary students would be purchased and aging lab equipment – such as glassware and balances – would also be phased out and replaced with modern science tools.
In today’s educational setting, technology is extremely important. It is a tool that allows the district to function more efficiently, be more accessible to the community and enhance the student learning experience. Under the proposal, $4.2 million would be allocated to technology. From the funds, $2.1 million – at increments of $300,000 per year – would be used to continue operation of technology software. Some key software programs are PowerSchool, which allows parents to track student’s grades; School Messenger, which allows the BPSD to send out alerts via text message, e-mail and phone, and computer-based learning programs for students. The additional $2.1 million would allow for district updates and refreshes to technology such as computers, electronic whiteboards and projectors. With the funds, no additional equipment will be bought, but rather, all technological infrastructure will be updated and refreshed. In most business settings, computers are replaced approximately every three years. But, the school district stretches that time to at least seven years.
With the progression of time, facilities need repairs. As part of the bond issue, there will be minor capitol maintenance projects that will fix and replace aging facilities. Many of the minor improvement projects will be taking place at elementary schools where new cooling towers, boilers and cafeteria flooring will be installed. Other projects under the proposal include repairing parking lots at the Bartlesville Mid-High School and Hoover, replacement of elevator cars at Bartlesville High School and the Mid-High School along with electrical systems updates at BHS to improve operational efficiency and lower utility costs. Maintenance projects throughout the district would total 1.8 million dollars over seven years if the bond issue is passed on August 28.
It has been many years since the Bartlesville Public School District last used bond funds to purchase new equipment for the school cafeterias or the custodial department. Presently, both areas have very old equipment that is in need of replacement to keep daily operations running effectively.
For the cafeteria, much of the equipment such as refrigerators, ovens and milk coolers is more than 30 years old. Not only is the equipment antiquated, but it is also extremely inefficient. With the purchase of new cafeteria equipment, the department will be able to run more efficiently as they serve hundreds of meals a day at each school location.
For custodial staff, it is important to keep our schools as clean as possible. In order to keep the schools in good instructional condition, custodial equipment is necessary and it is costly to replace. Much like the cafeteria equipment, the custodial equipment is aging. With bond funds, the custodial department will be able to replace some of its older, ineffective equipment over the life of the seven year bond. Examples of equipment that would be replaced are vacuums, carpet cleaners and burnishers.
The Bartlesville Public School District is known for its outstanding fine arts programs. There are hundreds of talented students who participate in various programs each year. With the amount of students involved in the programs each year, equipment is constantly used and subject to a lot of wear and tear. As a result, it is necessary to replace equipment. As part of the bond issue, money would be allocated to fine arts programs to allow purchases such as new marching band uniforms, new instruments, risers and music stands.
Also, the addition of the Fine Arts Center to the BPSD was tremendous. However, in order to continue to keep the FAC functioning effectively, some equipment must be upgraded. In the current bond proposal, funds are allocated to the FAC for purchase of sound equipment, lighting equipment, video equipment and computers. The equipment will allow the FAC to continue providing a great experience for students and community members.
Hundreds of students are involved in athletics every school year within the BPSD. In order to allow students to have the necessary equipment, the bond issue allocates funds over a seven year period to allow teams to purchase the essentials such as uniforms and equipment.
Transportation of students to and from school is a major operation for the BPSD. About 1,600 students per day ride BPSD buses, and it is paramount that students and staff members have the safest and most reliable equipment possible. Passage of the bond will make it possible to purchase new passenger and special needs buses to replace aging buses in the fleet. Also part of the transportation proposal, new district vehicles would be purchased to replace aging for maintenance as well as transportation of small school groups. The total cost of the transportation portion on the bond is 1.05 million dollars. As per state law, the transportation vote will be separate from the rest of the bond issue.
Ultimately, passage of the bond issue is vital to maintaining excellence within the Bartlesville Public School District. Bartlesville has a tradition of outstanding success and the BPSD wants to maintain the great work with the passage of the bond on August 28.
As a reminder on voting day, August 28, two votes will be taking place as part of the bond election. The first vote is for 11.625 million and covers all facets of the bond except transportation. The second vote for 1.050 million dollars is strictly for transportation.
The proposed bond issue does NOT raise taxes for Bartlesville citizens. Tax levels will remain the same.
If you would like more information on the upcoming bond issue please visit www.bruinbond.com. The Bartlesville Public School District Facebook page is also a great resource with the most pertinent August 28 bond issue information.