ACS board weighs decision to reintroduce failed construction bond

Ardmore City Schools, Okla., may reintroduce the proposed bond measure that failed on Tuesday night, but first the district plans to get the community's take on the issue.

The bond, which would have secured funds for a new performing arts center as well as expansions and repairs to other school buildings, failed by a narrow margin. The other bond, which will provide money for new buses, passed.

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Cities, counties, school districts and the state would be allowed to enter into public-private partnerships to upgrade energy services under a bill winding its way through the Washington Legislature.

"We're going to dig a little deeper and find out where we are," ACS Superintendent Kim Holland said. "We were 33 votes short. We had a significant majority, but in Oklahoma we need a super-majority."

Holland said the school board plans to reach out to parents to figure out if the community is in favor of pursuing the bond further and plans to present the findings at the next board meeting.

"We've had quite a few people ask if we're going to run it again, when we're going to run it again," Holland said. "We've spoken to those individuals and right now we're basically gathering information."

Holland said the district would start by reaching out to groups of younger parents, who Holland said aren't always as actively involved with the school district as older parents.

"The community and our parents, it's not up to me and it's not up to our board," Holland said. "If the community says they want this, then we're obligated to do what we can to give it to them."

Holland said the board hopes to meet with about 1,500 parents before the next school board meeting, and the meetings will serve a dual purpose of getting younger parents more involved with their children's school as well as the bond decision.

"We're going after them to get them involved in this, in their child's education," Holland said. "This is just a good reason to start that initiative, so we think that will be a positive regardless. At the end of the day, we're here to serve our community."

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School bonds Oklahoma
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