August 15, 2022 Message from McDaniel | OKCPS Board of Education Votes to Approve Bond Resolution and Call for Election
August 15, 2022
OKCPS Families, Staff and Community,
Today, during a special meeting, the OKCPS Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution that officially calls for a school bond election. Part of the resolution included the proposition language that voters who reside within OKCPS boundaries will see on the ballot on November 8, 2022.
The board’s vote this afternoon allows OKCPS to ask Oklahoma City voters to consider two propositions, one totaling $936,000,000 to provide funds for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, equipping, repairing and remodeling school buildings, acquiring school furniture, fixtures and equipment and acquiring and improving school sites; and one for $19,000,000 to provide funds for the purpose of acquiring transportation equipment.
OKCPS has the lowest mill levy rate in the metro at 18. This $955 million dollar bond would bring OKCPS’ mill levy to 26, making the district more in line with other metro districts, which have an average mill levy of 27. To put these numbers into perspective for homeowners, this increase for a home valued at $100,000 would be $6.41 a month or less than $80 a year.
This is the biggest bond election in the history of OKCPS. We did not go after a number. What we did as a district was ask ourselves ‘what are the needs?’ and built this bond package from there. The average age of our schools is 72 years old and we have nine schools that are over 100 years old. It is more important than ever that we invest not only in renovating our existing district facilities, but also making plans for new construction.
Below is a list of signature and transformational projects that will be included in this bond package. Improvements funded by the bond will take several years to complete, and families should consider where their student(s) will advance through their feeder pattern to fully understand the impact of the bond for their student(s).
Site |
Feeder Pattern |
Bond Project(s) |
|
Emerson North HS |
Alternative |
Office And Outdoor Court Renovation |
|
Emerson South HS |
Alternative |
Restrooms, Parking, And Outdoor Area Renovation |
|
Putnam Heights Academy |
Alternative |
Outdoor Play Area Renovation |
|
Belle Isle Enterprise MS 5th & 6th |
Application |
Building To Be Repurposed |
|
Belle Isle Enterprise MS 7th & 8th |
Application |
5 Classroom & Competitive Gymnasium Addition |
|
Belle Isle High School (9th to 12th) |
Application |
New Belle Isle High School |
|
Classen SAS HS at Northeast |
Application |
Cafeteria Renovation And New Outdoor Eating Courtyard |
|
Classen SAS MS |
Application |
Cafeteria Renovation And New Outdoor Eating Courtyard Auditorium Renovation |
|
Southeast HS |
Application |
Cafeteria Renovation And Outdoor Eating Courtyard Auditorium & Aviation Program Space Renovations |
|
Southeast MS |
Application |
4 Classroom Addition |
|
Adelaide Lee ES |
CHHS |
New Elementary School Combined With Shidler |
|
Bodine ES |
CHHS |
Track And Fencing Renovation |
|
Capitol Hill HS |
CHHS |
New High School |
|
Capitol Hill MS |
CHHS |
New Middle School Combined With Wheeler |
|
Cesar Chavez ES |
CHHS |
Soccer Field Renovation |
|
Fillmore ES |
CHHS |
Track & Fencing Renovation New Walking Trail |
|
Hayes ES |
CHHS |
Parking, Fence, And Media Center Renovation |
|
Heronville ES |
CHHS |
Parking And Bus Lane Reconfiguration |
|
Shidler ES |
CHHS |
New Elementary School Combined With Adelaide Lee |
|
Webster MS |
CHHS |
2 Classroom Addition |
|
Wheeler MS |
CHHS |
New Middle School Combined With Capitol Hill |
|
Douglass HS |
Douglass |
Miller Stadium Press Box And Softball Field Flexible Space Addition |
|
Eugene Field ES |
Douglass |
Main Entrance Renovation and Perimeter Fence |
|
FD Moon MS |
Douglass |
Outdoor Learning Area Gym & Locker Room Renovation |
|
Horace Mann Pre- K |
Douglass |
Building To Be Repurposed |
|
Martin Luther King ES |
Douglass |
Parking And Playground Surface Renovation |
|
Thelma Parks ES |
Douglass |
Renovate Outdoor Play Area And New Walking Trail |
|
Wilson ES |
Douglass |
Repurposing Of Gymnatorium |
|
Britton ES |
JMEHS |
2 Classroom Addition |
|
John Marshall Enterprise HS |
JMEHS |
Practice Field Renovation Flexible Space Addition Regional Stadium Addition |
|
John Marshall Enterprise MS |
JMEHS |
Media Center Renovation Multi-Building Renovation |
|
Johnson Pre-K |
JMEHS |
Building To Be Repurposed |
|
Monroe ES |
JMEHS |
Parking And Fence Renovation Create New Drop-Off Area |
|
Nichols Hills Enterprise ES |
JMEHS |
4 Classroom Addition |
|
Quail Creek ES |
JMEHS |
6 Classroom Addition |
|
Ridgeview ES |
JMEHS |
Walking Trail And Shade Area |
|
Buchanan ES |
NW Classen |
Update Parking, Outdoor Play Area, And Fence |
|
Cleveland ES |
NW Classen |
Parking And Track Renovation |
|
Esperanza ES |
NW Classen |
Fencing And Acoustical Gym Renovation |
|
Hawthorne ES |
NW Classen |
Perimeter Fence And Outdoor Classroom |
|
Kaiser ES |
NW Classen |
2 Classroom Addition And Parking Lot Renovation |
|
Mark Twain ES |
NW Classen |
Half-Court And West Parking Lot Renovation |
|
Mary Golda Ross MS |
NW Classen |
Upgrade Fine Arts Area |
|
NW Classen HS |
NW Classen |
16 Classroom Addition Female Softball Facility Flexible Space Addition |
|
Rockwood ES |
NW Classen |
Fence Renovation And New Outdoor Classroom |
|
Taft 5th Grade at Linwood |
NW Classen |
Building To Be Repurposed New Middle School Combined With Taft |
|
Taft MS |
NW Classen |
New Middle School Combined With Linwood |
|
Van Buren ES |
NW Classen |
Connect Sidewalks To Create Walking Trail Upgrade Fence |
|
Van Buren Pre- K |
NW Classen |
Building To Be Repurposed |
|
Sandy L. Garrett Early Childhood at Gatewood |
NW Classen |
Parking Improvements |
|
Rogers MS |
Star Spencer |
Gym And Locker Room Renovation Practice Field Addition |
|
Spencer ES |
Star Spencer |
Drop-Off Lane And Outdoor Area Renovation |
|
Star Spencer HS |
Star Spencer |
Twidwell Stadium Renovation Competitive Gym Flexible Space Additions |
|
Willowbrook ES |
Star Spencer |
Outdoor Classroom And New Walking Trail |
|
Adams ES |
US Grant |
Renovate Drop-Off And Outdoor Play Area |
|
Arthur ES |
US Grant |
Create A Walking Trail Parking And Fence Renovation |
|
Coolidge ES |
US Grant |
Parking And Courtyard Redesign |
|
Hillcrest ES |
US Grant |
Restroom, Track, And Fence Renovation |
|
Jefferson MS |
US Grant |
3 Classroom Addition Locker Room Renovation Competitive Gym Addition |
|
Prairie Queen ES |
US Grant |
Parking And Outdoor Play Area Renovation |
|
Roosevelt MS |
US Grant |
Gym And Locker Room Renovation |
|
Southern Hills ES |
US Grant |
Parking Lot Renovation And New Walking Trail |
|
US Grant HS |
US Grant |
12 Classroom Addition and New Little Generals Area Cafeteria Expansion And Outdoor Eating Area Flexible Space Addition |
District Administration will work with each school and school community to establish programming for their flexible learning space. Below are examples of possible programming options.
-
College and Career
-
Vo-Ag (FFA & 4H)
-
Aerospace / Aviation
-
Trades
-
Mechanics
-
Film Production & Studio Arts
-
eSports
-
STEAM / Innovation Space
-
Visual & Performing Arts
Districtwide impacts include:
-
Athletic uniforms, athletic equipment, PE equipment, athletic trainer equipment
-
Band and orchestra instruments, visual arts equipment and supplies, uniforms and equipment for band and drama
-
Network infrastructure upgrades, and student and staff devices
-
Student and staff furniture
-
Media Center materials, furniture and equipment
-
Safety and security infrastructure and equipment
In the coming months, OKCPS will release additional information, including renderings of construction projects, FAQs and other details of our bond projects. Additionally, we will host a series of community meetings where more information will be shared with our families, staff and the community.
In the meantime, more information about the bond can be found by visiting www.okcps.org/Bond22.
Today was a historic day and it's an exciting time to be part of OKCPS.
Dr. Sean McDaniel, Superintendent