Community approves $3.7 million bond referendum for Highland Schools

RIVERSIDE - The Highland Community School District was able to successfully pass a $3.7 million bond measure on Sept. 10.

Funds from the measure will go toward three big projects which include installing a new air conditioning and heating system into the district's middle and high school building, storage space for the Fine Arts program as well as a new playground area for the elementary school.

The Highland Community School District serves approximately 620 students and has a K-5 building as well as a 6-12 combined middle and high school building. The General Obligation Bond will be taken from property taxes from tax payers in the district. The bond measure will not raise taxes for district residents.

Preliminary results from the referendum show that out of 589 total voters from the Ainsworth and Riverside precincts, 420 voted in favor of the bond. In order to pass, the measure needed a 60 percent yes-vote.

Highland Community School District Superintendent Ken Crawford said that the district is incredibly appreciative of the community's support.

'The board was super excited for the 71 percent approval. The support from the community for the teachers and the students is something that we are ever grateful for and extremely proud to be a part of. I know that everyone is very excited about the high turnout and the high percent. It really shows the community supports the school and the students and the direction the school board is heading,” Crawford said.

Following a temperature study done in the middle and high school building, the Highland Community School District School Board was confronted with a $2.2 million project to install a new heating, cooling and ventilation system (HVAC) in addition to the additions to the building's Fine Arts wing. The board discussed throughout the year different ways to fund the projects and was notified a bond referendum would be a possibility.

School Board Secretary and Business Manager Sue Rich, says the projects are for the sole benefit of students including improving classroom environments for student comfort as well as completely redoing a playground area to be handicap accessible. The school district worked with OPN Architects on the study that evaluated the middle and high school building's need for a new HVAC system and the construction in the Fine Arts wing, and worked with MMS Consultants for the new playground at the elementary school building. A deadline for bids for the new projects has not yet been set. According to Rich, the school district anticipates to begin the process next spring, following the conclusion of the school year. As of right now, the district is unsure what projects can be started with students still in the buildings.