Edmond School Bond Proposal: What Will It Do?

Edmond Public Schools is the third largest district in the state and with a constantly growing population, the district is counting on a $147 million bond proposal to help alleviate overcrowded classrooms.

“We know that Edmond is still a growing community,” said Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Angela Grunewald. “If you drive out east and see all the housing additions going on you can see we're going to need schools on the east side of Edmond.”

Red Bud Elementary School is in that area and Grunewald said it opened three years ago over capacity. “We want to be prepared and to always be a step ahead of our growth instead of trying to react to growth after it's already happened,” Grunewald said.

If approved, the bond will allow the district to build two new schools, an elementary and a middle school, east of I-35 at the SE corner of Covell Rd. and Air Depot Blvd. “We want our buildings to be functional and thriving and to do that we have to stay ahead of our growth and provide quality buildings because it just creates a culture that is more conducive to learning,” Grunewald said.

The bond proposal also calls for more classrooms at Boulevard, a final phase at Scissortail, a media center at John Ross, and an Early Childhood saferoom, as well as a Freshman Academy at Santa Fe High School. “It's really their own separate building and so they can come together as freshman and really become Santa Fe Wolves and then move on up into the high school,” Grunewald said.

Also included, is a transition building for special needs students. “It will be designed for these students to learn life skills and really work on independence,” Grunewald said. “They will have a kitchen designed for them where they can make meals and a laundry room where they can do laundry and practice.”

The bond would also allow the district to purchase new school buses and bus tags to track students. “As they get on the bus it will scan in and so we will know who got on the bus what time they got on the bus where they got off,” she said.

The district says the bond will not increase taxes and would require a 60 percent supermajority to pass. “We have to keep up with the growing population,” said Edmond Public Schools Foundation CEO Deanna Boston. “The schools are an economic driver of our city and they're growing and so the bond issue just helps grow with the growing needs of the district.”

The bond election is set for Tuesday, February 13. If you live in the Edmond Public Schools District, you can vote.