Douglas County Holds Special Bond Referendum Vote on March 20, 2007
Douglasville, GA, March 05, 2007 --(PR.com)-- On March 20, 2007, voters of Douglas County will decide the fate of the proposed bond referendum which has been put to ballot by the Douglas County School Board. If the referendum is supported by the voters, the bonds will provide capitol outlay funding to construct a new high school, a middle school, two elementary schools, additional buses and additional classroom computers.
The Current Situation
Currently 5,000 students attend classes in mobile classrooms (20% of the student population) which are designed as temporary means of classroom accommodations. The student population in Douglas County has grown exponentially in recent years with approximately 2,000 students added to the school system between August 2005 and August 2006. In March of 2005 the voters of Douglas County approved an Education SPLOST which continues until December 31, 2011 and has been used to fund the replacement of Chapel Hill Elementary School and Factory Shoals Middle School. Unfortunately, the funds generated from the March 2005 Education SPLOST is not enough to stay ahead of the growth and meet the capitol needs the bond referendum will provide to build the needed additional schools.
Who Will Pay for the Bond Referendum?
Property owners, residential or commercial, pay off bonds over a period of time (similar to a home mortgage). For homeowners, the cost is approximately $70 per $100,000 of a home’s assessed value. Residents age 62 and over who apply for and are granted homestead exemption on their primary residence do not pay school system property taxes on their home and will also not be required to pay bond millage.
What Are the Alternative Options to the Bond Referendum?
Every available option will be considered to continue to adequately provide for students. Among the options that will be considered are:
1. Increase the number of mobile classrooms on campuses where there is room for them. At least five sites cannot accommodate additional standard mobile units.
2. Alternative student scheduling, i.e. double sessions at existing schools.
Parents and the community need to understand the ramifications of implementing double sessions at our schools. Schools would need to optimize space for instructional use only, therefore, before and after-school care programs within the schools will probably have to be eliminated. Families may also have siblings scheduled in alternating sessions during school which will certainly impact family schedules.
Add your name to a volunteer courtesy “reminder to vote” list
Visit: http://web.douglas.k12.ga.us/web/schools/sms/default.htm
For additional information
Visit: http://www.douglas.k12.ga.us/web/GrowthBond/index.htm or contact Stewart Middle School at (770) 651-5400.
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The Current Situation
Currently 5,000 students attend classes in mobile classrooms (20% of the student population) which are designed as temporary means of classroom accommodations. The student population in Douglas County has grown exponentially in recent years with approximately 2,000 students added to the school system between August 2005 and August 2006. In March of 2005 the voters of Douglas County approved an Education SPLOST which continues until December 31, 2011 and has been used to fund the replacement of Chapel Hill Elementary School and Factory Shoals Middle School. Unfortunately, the funds generated from the March 2005 Education SPLOST is not enough to stay ahead of the growth and meet the capitol needs the bond referendum will provide to build the needed additional schools.
Who Will Pay for the Bond Referendum?
Property owners, residential or commercial, pay off bonds over a period of time (similar to a home mortgage). For homeowners, the cost is approximately $70 per $100,000 of a home’s assessed value. Residents age 62 and over who apply for and are granted homestead exemption on their primary residence do not pay school system property taxes on their home and will also not be required to pay bond millage.
What Are the Alternative Options to the Bond Referendum?
Every available option will be considered to continue to adequately provide for students. Among the options that will be considered are:
1. Increase the number of mobile classrooms on campuses where there is room for them. At least five sites cannot accommodate additional standard mobile units.
2. Alternative student scheduling, i.e. double sessions at existing schools.
Parents and the community need to understand the ramifications of implementing double sessions at our schools. Schools would need to optimize space for instructional use only, therefore, before and after-school care programs within the schools will probably have to be eliminated. Families may also have siblings scheduled in alternating sessions during school which will certainly impact family schedules.
Add your name to a volunteer courtesy “reminder to vote” list
Visit: http://web.douglas.k12.ga.us/web/schools/sms/default.htm
For additional information
Visit: http://www.douglas.k12.ga.us/web/GrowthBond/index.htm or contact Stewart Middle School at (770) 651-5400.
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Contact
Stewart Middle School
Janice Bengtson
770-561-5400
web.douglas.k12.ga.us/web/schools/sms/default.htm
Janice Bengtson
770-561-5400
web.douglas.k12.ga.us/web/schools/sms/default.htm
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