The most common question about the upcoming school bond election is, “will it raise my taxes?” This bond will not raise your taxes. It simply replaces the bond that was passed in 2013.
The most important issue that is addressed in this school bond election is student safety. The bonds will allow us to make long needed improvements to student pick up/drop off areas on each site of the Chouteau campus. Parents and families have voiced concerns for many years about the current pick up/drop off areas on the campus, and the concerns are valid. The bond will provide new pick up/drop off locations and parking areas at the ECC, Elementary and Middle School, and reroute the high school drop off area to the south side of the HS. The idea is to keep as much traffic as possible on the perimeter of each school allowing for a much safer experience for students each day.
The proposed storm shelter/classroom building will provide a shelter space to serve middle and high school students and staff. The ECC storm shelter is over capacity and additional shelter space is needed in order to accomodate the campus and community. This is a critical need for our students. The Middle School and High School students currently share multiple spaces for classes and programs and the addition of this building will enhance the learning environment for over 450 students daily. The current 5th and 6th grade classrooms have water issues under the foundation that have been addressed over the years, but continue to occur. The whole area is better utilized as storage, which would then open up classroom spaces in the elementary and middle school.
The Early Childhood Center addition meets our current needs while preparing for future growth. There are several areas of shared space that do not work well for our most vulnerable students. Speech, occupational and physical therapy, and counseling services are sharing one room and make it difficult to provide the quality of service that these students deserve. The nurse’s office is in the hallway, and music and art share a space. The addition will improve the quality of our ECC student’s education by providing appropriate and adequate spaces for learning.
Mazie campus parking improvements will create better access and more spaces for a better overall community experience. .
This school bond will not raise taxes. It simply replaces the 2013 bond that included the Mazie addition, campus improvements, and the high school. Please vote on April 2, 2024. If you have questions about the bond or the proposed projects please feel free to contact Superintendent Lori Helton at (918)476-8376 or via email at lhelton@chouteauwildcats.com