Four options finalized for bond survey in D 93
The Bonneville School District 93 school board finalized their bond survey. It will be coming out on Monday.
The principals at both Hillcrest and Bonneville high schools say their schools are over capacity, and growing.
The school board wants a bond to build, but taxpayers will foot the bill. So, the district is seeking input on a survey of four choices.
Option A is building a new high school, a new middle school, and a new elementary.
“It is an expense, it would cost the taxpayers an increase on their property tax. It would on the other hand afford students the opportunity to be more involved, said Doug McLaren, principal at Hillcrest High School.
Option B makes the current middle schools annexes to the high schools. That requires building two new middle schools and a new elementary.
“It would give us another cafeteria, another gymnasium, another library, so it would add some vital room that we would need,” said McLaren.
“The concern I have about annexing Rocky Mountain to Bonneville is the distance between the two schools, it would take some time away from instructional time,” said Heath Jackson, principal at Bonneville High School.
The walk from one end of Bonneville high to Rocky Mountain Middle School would take about 15 minutes. Students would have to cross a field that could be muddy or icy.
The third choice wouldn’t require a bond, but would implement split sessions. Option C has ninth-graders moving down to middle schools. Two grades would attend classes in the morning, with the first bus pickup at 5:15 am. The other grades would start at midday until the last bus drop-off at 7:45 p.m.
Craig Miller was a student the last time the district held split sessions.
“It was very difficult on families and it was tough on me as a student. I had a lot of time where I was unsupervised with a lot of other young people unsupervised,” said Miller, principal at Technical Careers High School.
Option D is year-round school. Across the district, students would attend three, 12-week terms. That could mean different summers for siblings.
“Year-round school would be difficult at the high school level because of our involvement in Idaho High School Activities Association, it would make it difficult for us to continue to participate,” said Jackson.
The public is invited to bring questions to a public information meeting Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. at Rocky Mountain Middle School.
The school board wants to decide on the best option at their meeting the second week of November. The actual vote to approve or deny the bond would be held in March.
