D91 holds community open houses on bond

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - As part of its ongoing efforts to connect with parents and patrons and share information about the upcoming bond election, Idaho Falls School District 91 has scheduled four Community Open Houses in October.

The meetings will include a short presentation by D91 Superintendent Dr. Jim Shank, and then attendees will visit different displays to ask questions and learn more about each project.

Meetings are scheduled on:

• Oct. 4, 6:30 to 8 pm: IF Activity Center, 1575 N. Skyline Dr.
• Oct. 11, 6:30 to 8 pm: Idaho Falls High School, Little Theater, 601 S. Holmes (Please enter through the front doors on Holmes)
• Oct. 18, 6:30 to 8 pm: Skyline High School, Little Theater, 1767 Blue Sky Dr., (Please enter through the front doors.)
• Oct. 19, 6:30 to 8 pm: Sunnyside Elementary School, Cafeteria, 165 Cobblestone

D91 patrons will go to the polls on Nov. 8 to vote on a bond proposal that would pay for upgrades and improvements to facilities to address growth, crowding and safety and security issues. The bond would pay to:

• Build a new high school on E 49th South to replace Idaho Falls High School (The current IFHS campus would eventually become the permanent home for D91’s Career Technical Education Center with community spaces for sports and the arts.)
• Renovate and add an auditorium to Skyline High School
• Build a new elementary school south of town
• Replace Temple View with a new, bigger elementary school north of town

The projects included in the bond were identified as priorities by parents, patrons, staff and community members earlier this year as part of a months-long process to develop a long-term facilities plan for Idaho Falls School District 91.

Some residents in the district are concerned with how this will affect taxes, especially as interest rates rise and feel as though they are not getting their questions answered by the district.

Lisa Kelley, a spokesperson for a group they call D91 Taxpayers, claims the district has stonewalled previous requests for answers.

To learn more about that plan and the bond proposal, including tax impacts, go to: https://www.ifschools.org/Page/1634