USD 373 is putting a $50M facilities improvement bond to public vote on March 3, 2026.
The projects in the bond address end-of-life issues with roofing and HVAC as well as safety and security upgrades, such as code-compliant storm shelters. This mostly includes hardening existing shelters at our elementary schools, and building multi-use spaces at Cooper Early Education Center, Chisholm Middle School and Newton High School that would double as storm shelters while addressing other needs on those campuses.
The bond comes after a facilities assessment and a nearly year-long facilities planning engagement project with outside company, RSP and representation from a committee made of school and community patrons.
Newton High School will see the bulk of projects, with focus on remodeling approximately 40% of the interior classroom space of the high school, which will address 40% of the removable walls, upgrading science labs and the culinary arts kitchens (all original to the 1970s) and upgrades to the NHS pool. The culinary and science lab additions would allow for construction to take place without disrupting classroom learning and allowing for us to have the ability to rotate classrooms during the remodeling mentioned earlier to allow for construction to take place during the school year.
Chisholm Middle School would see upgrades to the pod bathrooms and old locker room spaces (both original to the 1950s) in addition to the storm shelter additions.
Cooper Early Education would see an addition of a classroom and conference space that would double as a storm shelter, as well as work on the slate roof (original to the 1930s).
Almost every school will see HVAC and roof work to address previously mentioned end-of-life issues.
All elementary schools will see playground and if funds are available, shade structure upgrades.
All district-owned schools would receive interior intruder locks to classroom doors as part of a security upgrade.
The 4.3 mill increase to the bond results in an approximate $4.12/month impact to a $100,00 home and $8.24/month to a $200,00 home.
Documentation like the facilities assessment, architectural renderings, and lists of project costs by building can be found at usd373.org/bond2026.
(There will not be tours at this event due to it being located at Newton Recreation Center.)
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