Schools

The ins and outs of the school bond measure

Get the basic facts on the district's enrollment growth and upcoming bond measure

Kelly Dunleavy O'Mara, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
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  • The Ross Valley School District – Brookside Elementary Upper and Lower Campuses, Manor Elementary, Wade Thomas Elementary and White Hill Middle School – has seen a 16 percent enrollment increase since 2006.
  • There are currently 1,986 kids in space for 1,800 students.
  • The district alleges that by 2016 enrollment will be closer to 2,300 and will be 30 percent over capacity by 2014.
  • Currently, multi-purpose rooms are being used for music and art, pushing out libraries or programs like on-site daycare.
  • In 2009 and 2010, the district went through an extensive community engagement process to decide how to address this enrollment growth.
  • A number of proposals were considered, including re-opening a K-5 school at Red Hill or Deer Park, purchasing a portion of the Marin Town and Country Club property for a new K-5 school, expanding the middle school to grades 5-8, adding a K-5 campus on the middle school property, purchasing other land to build a K-5 school or adding additional classrooms to existing campuses.
  • A bond measure was originally planned for June, but the district couldn't reach a decision by then.
  • Following heated debate, the majority of options were eliminated except for re-opening a K-5 school at Deer Park.
  • The outpouring of opposition from the Fairfax community, lead the school board to vote 3-2 not to build the school at Deer Park and to instead add classrooms to existing campuses.
  • A number of residents still support the idea of purchasing the School Street plaza and turning it into a K-5 school, which the district says isn't feasible within its budget.
  • A bond measure will be placed on the Nov. 2, 2010 ballot to fund the expansion of White Hill and the addition of classrooms to the current campuses.
  • The bond measure is expected to be around $41 million, but will be voted on on Aug 2.

 

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