As students face overcrowding and shorter classes, the Ridgefield school board voted unanimously to add two propositions for two bonds for an April 23 vote during its Jan. 23 meeting.
These bond measures, which aim to make room for Ridgefield’s growing student population, come after the last five bond attempts have failed since 2017. Residents will have two weeks to vote, and a 60% plus one majority will be needed to pass the propositions.
Proposition 1
The final projected bond cost for Proposition 1 is $70 million, with a maximum bond term of 21 years. The bond would allow for a new 75,000-square-foot elementary school. The school district currently owns the land, located on 7025 N. 10th St., which would be used for the school based on completed design work by LSW Architects.
The bond will also be used for a 23,000-square-foot expansion of Ridgefield High School. The expansion would add a new metal shop and 10 general education classrooms. The rest of the money would be used for roof repairs and replacements at Ridgefield High School, Union Ridge Elementary and South Ridge Elementary.
All projects are expected to be completed by fall 2025 should the bond pass.
Proposition 2
Contingent upon the passage of the first proposition, the second projected bond would fund a new middle school. The bond would also pay for additions to Ridgefield High School, including a new wrestling room, an additional locker room, and a renovation of the existing locker room.
This bond funds would also be used to resurface Ridgefield High School’s track and field, as well as acoustic treatment for the school’s band room.
The cost for Proposition 2 is $120 million, with a maximum bond term of 21 years.
All projects under this proposition are to be completed by Fall 2026 should the bond pass.
Resident costs
The two bond proposition votes in April are a fairly unusual situation for Ridgefield. The school district hopes that if residents do not fund both bonds that Proposition 1 can still address the growing student population.
“The only way to get Proposition 2 passed is [that] Proposition 1 has to pass, which then allows [that] proposition to pass,” Ridgefield School District board member Brett Jones said. “Worst case, at least we get Proposition 1 passed.”
Ridgefield currently has a property tax rate of $2.66 per every $1,000 of assessed value and is projected to have a lower $2.53 tax rate for 2024. Should Proposition 1 be approved in April, the bond would increase property taxes to $3.11 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2025. If residents approve both Proposition 1 and 2, the property tax rate would increase to $3.89 in 2025, which would be the highest in Clark County.
After the last successful bond vote in 2017 for a $78 million bond measure, Ridgefiled’s property tax rate was raised to $4.34 for the year of 2018. In the five years since, the property tax rate slowly decreased to $2.66. During the Jan. 23 meeting, interim Superintendent Chris Griffith mentioned that if the bonds are approved, the tax rate would likely decrease each year following.
The student experience
Since the last bond passed Ridgefield School District’s enrollment has increased by 1,199 students. Joe Vajgrt, Ridgefield School District’s director of communications, said passing Proposition 1 will be important to address the district’s lack of space for students.
“2017 was the last time we passed the bond to build permanent classroom space, and in that time, our enrollments have continued to grow, and we have just a shade under 1,200 additional students since the last time we built these schools,” Vajgrt said. “[There’s] definitely a need both for the elementary school and for the middle school level.”
Since the last five bond measures failed, Ridgefield’s students have had to use different spaces as classrooms. Jones said View Ridge Middle School students have faced difficulties.
“[There’s] the black box, which is a theater room that is no longer able to be used by the theater groups,” Jones said. “They are now conducting classrooms, [and] a wrestling room has been converted into classrooms.”
Ridgefield school board member Amber Baker mentioned that the school district does not have room to construct additional portables, which have been more expensive to maintain.
“We have been using portables for our sites as much as we can, but that really is not a great solution long term,” Baker said. “In terms of lifespan of buildings, they’re not going to last as long as an actual school brick-and-mortar building. We’re looking more at replacement costs on that than just maintenance and upkeep.”
During the Jan. 23 meeting, two middle schoolers spoke in support of the bond measure
“Last year was hard because I had my math and science class in the wrestling room while the leadership or health class was taking place at the same time,” eighth grader Sophia White said. “It was hard to concentrate on classwork when you could hear people making posters and talking in the same room. There’s also a large ventilation fan that turns on in the room that’s loud and annoying. I often had to reread questions because it was hard to focus.”
Sam Conklin, an eighth grader from View Ridge, echoed the same sentiment regarding his learning experience.
“Last year, I attended my math class in the wrestling room, it was difficult to learn in that room,” Conklin said. “Every day in the halls and lunchroom, there is a constant battle to find space to move around or to sit down for a break. Most companies out there would consider these poor working conditions, but it is my everyday reality … I have two younger brothers who will really benefit from the bond being passed. I want a better learning environment and future for them.”
