Large crowds are expected in downtown Hillsboro on Dec. 14 for the annual Greater Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade, so Hillsboro R-3 officials decided it would be a good day to showcase the school district’s recently completed improvements.
The district will hold open houses at three of its schools, as well as at the property known by many as the “Hall Farm” that district officials purchased in September for $990,000 from Comtrea, which called the property Bridle Ridge.
“It will be a great night,” Superintendent Jon Isaacson said. “We will have open houses in the buildings and we will be at the farm.”
The schedule of events for the day includes:
■ 3 p.m. Open house and tours of upgrades at Hillsboro Junior High School, 12 Hawk Drive.
■ 3:40 p.m. Open house and tours of upgrades at Hillsboro Elementary School, 13 Hawk Drive.
■ 4:15 p.m. Open house and tours of upgrades at Hillsboro Primary School, 101 Leon Hall Parkway.
■ 5 p.m. Greater Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade.
■ 7 p.m. Open house and tours of the farm, 10533 Business 21.
He said the open house at the farm will also include a Christmas tree lighting, a bonfire, refreshments and school choir and band performances.
“When (guests) come to the farm, they will see some of the buildings – the barn, the caretaker’s home, the riding arena,” Isaacson said. “They can see improvements we’ve made to the property.”
He said the Hillsboro School District closed on the purchase of the farm, including about 45 acres of land and the structures on it, on Sept. 18.
“People who tour the farm will be able to see some of the equipment we acquired with the purchase,” Isaacson said. “We’ve found horse carriages, other antiques.”
He said the district is referring to the farm as Bridle Ridge for the time being, but plans are in the works for a new name, as well as for how the district will use the property.
“We formed a committee to develop our strategic short- and long-term planning. The committee is also looking into a new name. We have a board policy on naming.”
Isaacson said the district is already using the farm property to some extent.
“Right now, our agricultural classes are using it,” he said. “Our kids put up fences for goats. We have four goats. Also, we’re prepping for a pumpkin patch for next fall and a garden area is being prepped.”
The following is a list of the recently completed big-ticket projects the district funded with a $12 million bond issue district residents approved in 2017:
■ At the Primary School, an approximately $2.3 million, six-classroom addition was built, and about $136,000 in other improvements were completed, including two sets of restrooms that were remodeled and a water line that was relocated.
■ A new $2 million wing was built at the Elementary School, with other renovations to the building, including reworking restrooms and repairing plumbing.
■ At the Junior High School, an approximately $4 million addition was built that houses seven classrooms, a weight room, a multipurpose room and a new girls’ locker room. Improvements also were made to the boys’ locker room, science labs, the front area and offices. In addition, the electric switch-gear towers at the school were upgraded, and the hillside was reinforced.
■ Bond issue money also was used to upgrade security at the entrances to the primary, elementary and junior high buildings, as well as to make improvements to the parking lots at the high school and the junior high.