Feature Photo By: Jaylen Dunbar– A bird’s eye view of Rangeview is taken by a drone. If the bond is passed, there would be additions to the school building.
The Aurora Public Schools Board of Education has recently placed a new $300 million bond on the November 2016 ballot.
If approved by the people, a tax revenue of $1.93 per month ($23 annually) will be positioned per $100,000 of property value on APS homeowners. The bond money would be used to fund building and technology improvements for every school in the district.
The bond will be strictly used for capital constructions and technology improvements rather than other school district expenses such as paying staff salaries, educational programs, or materials.
Junior Savannah Wilkerson said, “I don’t think it should [be approved] because it would just add more money to people, some people can’t already afford their taxes and it would just be an inconvenience to them– plus the school can do fundraisers and other stuff to get the money.”
The APS Long Range Facilities Advisory Committee along with community members, city officials, and APS staff, ran a three-year study to evaluate school facility and technology needs of every school in the district.
In its findings, they concluded that a 2016 Capital Improvement Program should be considered by the Board of Education. The Board finally authorized the bond to be approved by voters for the November 2016 ballot.
Although the 2008 bond allowed APS to create many needed improvements, the schools will continue to corrode over the years and become in need of critical repairs.
“Yes,[It should be approved] because some schools are very poor, education should be taught in a well structured place and not a place that might collapse,” said junior Jacob San Miguel. “Schools should get new things every once in awhile like new classrooms, new desks,tables, books, just new tools that kids can get to use.”
A school such as Rangeview has planned improvements such as classroom additions, online school remodeling, and renewal of instructional technology and the building itself.
If the ballot is approved, Mrachek Middle School is expected to be rebuilt entirely and positioned at the field near Mrachek crossing Evans Street and Telluride Street. Furthermore, this means lacrosse and lower baseball field along with other sports at Rangeview that occupy that field will no longer be able to use it.
“One thing that just bothers me is that they’re going to take away 2 fields that Rangeview uses without really having a plan to solve it, so marching band, lower level baseball, boys and girls lacrosse teams, freshman football are all going to be losing their field,” said Randy Mills. “While it may help Mrachek, it’s going to significantly hurt the activities and athletics program at Rangeview.”
If that is not enough to come to an opinion, according to APS Division of Support Services, student enrollment in the district has increased with over 7,000 students since 2008 and is expected to increase in the next 5 years — overcrowding in the schools has fundamentally become inevitable. This similar problem has caused 37 schools to add mobiles in their campus; however, there’s a gap between the budget and this fix becomes a struggle.
After all, it all comes down to the same question, should APS homeowners approve of this ballot on November 2016?
For more information visit http://bond.aurorak12.org/needs/
