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Sisters School District Bond Update (July 2021):
Voters approved a $33.8 million bond in May of 2021 to build a new elementary school that is scheduled to open in 2023. Plans to gather community input to determine the best use of the current elementary school including its possible use as a community center will begin in the Fall of 2021.
On May 18th, 2021, the Sisters School District (SSD) will ask voters to support a $33,800,000 general obligation bond to pay for the construction costs of a new elementary school, as well as related support and maintenance costs associated with the District’s 2016 Master Plan.
The funding amount was calculated based on the current estimated tax rates from the 2001 School Bond. As such, this levy will begin as the 2001 school bond retires and there will be no increase in the estimated tax rate.
Sisters School District currently serves over 1,100 students across three school sites – Sisters Elementary School located on the east end of town, Sisters Middle School, and Sisters High School, which are both located south of town and west of McKenzie Highway.
Sisters Elementary School is currently operating at 106% of optimal capacity and projects the 2021-2022 school year will be at 111% of optimal capacity. Two modular units are already deployed to address the extra demands. The City of Sisters predicts a 27-30% growth rate over the next 10 years and this will only exacerbate the overcrowding.
The new “Shared Campus” location for the elementary school is a critical component of the 2016 Master Plan. It will allow for increased safety, transportation, operational and educational benefits for all of the students in the District. Fifth grade will return to the elementary school location, which is better aligned with educational best practices and also provides additional capacity in the middle school.
The old elementary school building is a valuable asset for the Sisters community. The District respects the value of this asset for the whole community and embraces the responsibility of using this asset for the best outcome for our voters. Once the bond is approved, the District, the School Board, and the Bond Oversight Committee will host a series of community engagements with voters and stakeholders to understand the greatest needs and best possible uses of the building. Only after this due diligence can the school district implement the best plans for the old Sisters Elementary School building.
**This information was shared with the permission of the Sisters School District. This information is taken from the Sisters School District Bond Information page and has not been edited or changed.
You can find more information, including answers to frequently asked questions, by visiting the Sisters School District website 2021 Bond Information page at http://ssd6.org/schoolboard/2021bond/
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