EUREKA — The Eureka school district has proposed a 25-year $22.5 million bond request to replace an outdated elementary and middle school.
The bond would also provide funding for a new career and technical education space and a bus barn to support district instructional programs and transportation operations.
“We need to look at taking care of our students today, but my job as superintendent is also taking care of the community for the next 50 years,” said Eureka Superintendent Joel Graves.
It’s been more than 20 years since the Eureka School District last passed a bond request.
Graves said the core section of the middle school is more than 100 years old and falling apart.
He said money is constantly being taken out of the general fund budget for a band-aid fix.
“And that’s money that comes directly out of those kids education opportunities, every dollar that’s spent fixing a broken pipe or leaky roof is money that can’t be spent on a teacher or curriculum,” said Graves.
The bond proposes building a new Kindergarten through 8th grade shared building, with elementary students on the first floor and middle school students on the second floor.
The bond would also pay for a new career and technical education building that hasn’t been updated in decades.
“Which were classes that I spent a lot of time in as a high school student, they were very outdated when I was in high school, and so they are much worse now,” added Graves.
Graves said consolidating the elementary and middle school into one building creates a safer learning environment on the shared campus.
“The way our buildings are set up now, students are transitioning outside between buildings, you know multiple times a day, if we can consolidate that we limit the entrances to the buildings and it’s just much easier to manage.”
Special Education Teacher Sarah Comstock said the outdated middle school is not fully ADA compliant and not conducive to students with physical disabilities.
“I have a couple students right now, that it’s difficult to navigate the building, it takes a lot of time, we don’t have accessibility to the bathroom,” said Comstock.
If the 25-year $22.5 million bond is approved, a home with a taxable value of $500,000 would see annual taxes increase by approximately $332 a year.
Ballots will be mailed out in mid-April and must be returned by May 5.
The school district is hosting community meetings regarding the bond request on both March 19 and April 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the middle school library.
More information on the bond can be found here.
