Surveyor studies campus plans / Vivian Schmitz
This past November there were two big levies on the ballot for the school district.
The levies are there to tackle two main things we need in the school district. The first of which is the education levy. Its job is to pay for things that may seem like necessities but are not covered by the state. The second levy is the Capital project levy. It’s goal is to make some much needed changes to the school in terms of it’s construction and safety.
The programs that the education levy covers are not new to the school district. The education levy covers any extra staff that the government deems unnecessary. One of these programs is the art class here. Unfortunately things like extra art supplies are not covered by the government. To keep providing these high quality resources to our artists the school adds it to the levies. Another big thing that is covered is the extra enrichment programs that our school offers. Keep in mind these are just a few of the things this levy covers as it is a catch all for things that the government does not pay for but are still deemed necessary by the school board.
The Capital levy (also known as the construction levy) covers many long awaited changes. One of the main things is getting the parking lot covered in asphalt. Though the asphalt is more expensive, it should last for many years to come. To keep the cost down the school district is working with the airport and possibly more business. They will be doing this by talking to an asphalt company and getting them to set up a temporary batch mix plant. This way they will not have to pay the large cost to get the asphalt over by barge. Another big project is the shot and discus pit. After these are constructed the school district will finally be able to start hosting track meets. The last main project is repairing some of the outdoor bricks in the elementary school that have become a safety hazard.
Many of the projects are already underway with surveying for the road already beginning. All of the construction projects are predicted to be finished by August of 2026. This could also mean that by the 2027 track season we will be able to host our very own meets. With the education levy, the changes will be more gradual, as we will see them come into development over time.
One often overlooked part when thinking about things like the levies is how we students will be affected by things. This was one of my main questioning points in my interview with Kyle Freeman. Before August you should not be affected much outside from noticing people surveying the parking lot and walk ways. Good news for the drivers, there will be no shut down of the parking lot or any of the roads. This is because construction for the parking lot is set to start after school has already gotten out to avoid disruption.
However, after August the changes will be quite noticeable. Of course because it will be much smoother driving but there will actually be a few minor layout changes to the spring lot itself. The biggest change will be the removal of the roundabout at the back of the school near the track. This is to make way for more parking spots in the back.
With the addition of the asphalt and more parking spaces I am sure there is one topic plaguing peoples mind’s, Senior parking spaces. As I’m sure many of you know there is a fairly common tradition among schools to give each senior their own designated parking space and allow them to paint it. There is no official take on whether it will happen or not but Freeman did say that “it has been on my mind”. Some things that will be taken into account are how many parking spaces will be formed once everything is complete and what spots to give the seniors.
The passing of these levies should lead to many benefits for the students very shortly down the road. From having a smooth drive through the school parking lot to getting the experience of hosting track meets these levies will change a lot for the better in our day to day lives.