Press release
On August 28th, Poteau school district voters will have another opportunity to invest in two new classroom buildings to deal with the increasing enrollment. This time however, there will be an emphasis on improving security at all district locations.
Enrollment is up at the Primary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School. In fact, numbers are at record levels in the Pansy Kidd Middle School where every classroom is in use. In two years, the High School will also have record numbers.
Superintendent Don Sjoberg continues to express concern that “our buildings continue to deteriorate with age, enrollment increases will mean more students in hallways and classrooms which will make teaching harder on teachers and staff, and that the only way to meet the demand for more room is by constructing additional classroom buildings which will require a bond issue vote that increases property taxes.
The proposed new buildings will be a new 2 story high school classroom building and a new 7th and 8th grade center. Both building proposals have been modified since the last bond vote on April 3rd to include saferooms and a band room has been added to the 7th and 8th grade center.
The major difference between the last bond proposal and this one, according to Sjoberg, is the emphasis on improving security at each site. “We will firm up the main entrances at each of the sites by removing windows or covering them so that access to the building is limited, we will add door alarms at exits that are not controlled, fencing at the high school and new 7th/8th grade center along with a security booth and access gates, and additional cameras to monitor parking lots and buses, as well as individual classroom security bars that deter intruders from entering a specific classroom.” “In addition, the corridors to the new high school classroom building will be built to help make the new building one of the most secure of any facility in LeFlore County.”
The $14.6 million bond proposal will require a 5.5% property tax increase, which for anyone who paid $ 1,000 in property tax last year, would mean an additional $55 (or less than the cost of a fast food meal per month)!
“I think that the security improvements alone are worth THAT”, said Sjoberg.
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