Salmon School District tries again to pass a bond to fix aging building problem

Elections are next week for many school bonds and school levy proposals. One district hoping to see its bond pass this year on March 12 Salmon School District 291. The district is asking for a $25.6 million bond.

Salmon School District is trying to build an integrated elementary school and middle school.

The district said that right now it has capacity issue. The elementary school is over capacity– it has 367 students when it was only built for 300.

The middle school serves 190 students when it should only hold 105.

Right now, both the elementary and middle school are having to use portables to house their classrooms.

“We have an aging elementary school and no junior high, the junior high was closed several years ago,” said Superintendent Chris Born. “Our building is aging and the maintenance costs are becoming fiscally unsound. With this new building, which will be a (pre-K-to-8) building, we can eliminate a lot of our problems. We have three portables we would like to incorporate into this building. We can get our kids on the same side of the highway. Right now our kids cross a busy highway.”

The project would include facilities for a gymnasium and facilities for district administration.

If approved, the bond would create a tax of $265 per $100,000 of assessed property value.

It would require two-thirds majority for approval.

This is the district’s 10th attempt at passing a bond.