Northwest R-1 School District voters will be asked April 3 to approve a $14.5 million bond issue to fund improvements at schools throughout the district.
The measure, called Proposition S, requires a 4/7th majority vote for approval.
If passed, revenue from the bond issue would be used to build two new school gymnasiums, revamp seating in the high school lecture hall, construct safer school entrances and complete a variety of improvements throughout the district, school officials say.
The bond issue would not increase the district’s tax levy, but it would extend the district’s bond debt by four years, said Geoff Macy, Northwest’s chief operating officer.
He said the district’s existing bonds are scheduled to mature in 2034, and approval of the $14.5 million bond issue would extend the existing debt to 2038.
Macy said the district’s tax levy is $4.4653 per $100 assessed valuation with 58.96 cents per $100 assessed valuation for debt service.
Superintendent Desi Kirchhofer said the proposed improvements would provide more space for students and allow the district to complete a variety of maintenance projects and improve security systems.
“Overall, this is good for the community,” he said.
Improving the schools provides a good reflection on the area and promotes development, Kirchhofer said.
“Now is the right time,” he said. “We can improve our schools and make them safer without raising the tax rate.”
Additions
A gym would be built at Woodridge Middle School and another one would be built at Cedar Springs Elementary School. Both schools currently have gyms that double as cafeterias.
“This would eliminate shared spaces,” Kirchhofer said. “We had two (gyms) built in the last bond issue (at Murphy and Brennan Woods elementary schools). These would be the last two. High Ridge will have theirs (funded with a SEMA grant that will provide a tornado safe room that also serves as a gymnasium).”
At NorthwestHigh School, the lecture hall would be renovated. Aging seats would be replaced, and the layout changed to allow for “better theater-style seating with a center aisle,” Kirchhofer said.
Plans also include improvements to the high school baseball and softball fields, including the addition of a road and more parking at those fields, according to the project list.
In addition, the courtyard and the second floor at House Springs Elementary School would be improved, and a shaded area would be added at the Early Childhood Center playground, according to the project list.
Safety and Security
One of the proposed security projects would be the addition of a corridor to connect Valley Middle School’s main building that faces Gravois Road with the academic building that is directly north of the building. The hallway would allow students to move from the main building to the annex without leaving the building, Kirchhofer said.
According to the district’s project list, the following schools would get new entryways: House Springs, Brennan Woods, Murphy and Maple Grove elementary schools and Northwest High School.
Each of the new entrances would include two sets of doors that would require visitors to buzz in before entering the first set of doors and then speak with school personnel through a window before being buzzed into the main hallway.
Cameras and audio systems would be upgraded at Woodridge Middle School and High Ridge and Cedar Springs elementary schools.
In addition, the EarlyChildhoodCenter would get a new handicap-accessible entryway and front desk window.
Maintenance
Maintenance projects are an important piece of the proposed bond issue, Kirchhofer said.
“The bottom line is we have to make repairs to HVAC units and roofs,” he said.
Those projects include new HVAC systems for Cedar Springs Elementary and Valley Middle School; new roofs for Cedar Springs Elementary and the high school lecture hall; some window replacement at Valley Middle School and Maple Grove Elementary; and additional parking at High Ridge Elementary to improve traffic flow there, Macy said.
Kirchhofer recently met with district residents to talk about the bond issue. Although turnout was light, he said the feedback helped school officials develop the list of proposed projects.