Elementary school updates are focus of Oakwood’s $40M bond levy on May ballot

“Our community made a strong statement that they want to keep their iconic facilities and buildings,” Oakwood Superintendent Neil Gupta said.

The levy would fund updates to Smith and Harman elementary schools in addition to targeted projects at Oakwood High School/Junior High School and Lange School, officials said.

The high school/junior high building was the focus of the first phase of the district’s master facilities plan, which has been completed. The proposed bond issue would fund the second phase, with 85% going toward the elementary buildings.

Harman Elementary School was built in 1908 and Smith Elementary School was built in 1929, district records show.

Work at Harman and Smith would include mechanical, electrical and plumbing projects along with targeted Americans with Disabilities Act upgrades.

At the high school/junior high, work would include upgrades to HVAC systems, ceiling lights and the roof. Lange School is in need of new HVAC systems, Frank Eaton, the district’s business manager, said during a board presentation earlier this year.

“One of the main goals is to address all the pertinent needs that do not fit within permanent improvement funding,” he said.

The bond issue is a result of the school district’s Master Facilities Plan process, with input from local stakeholders.

Oakwood resident Barbara Richardson said she always supports the local school system and plans to vote for the bond issue, saying she loves the old buildings and wants to see them kept up.

Comments on social media and in local publications have shown both support and opposition to the bond plan. Some in favor of the tax cite Oakwood schools’ financial efficiency and careful planning of this project. Those opposed to the levy have focused on the already-high tax burden for Oakwood schools after years of other levies. Some have argued Oakwood should delay the bond spending and look harder at long-term financial plans.

Retired teacher Linda Spears said she’ll support the bond issue to maintain the buildings, adding, “We believe the schools and education is what makes our community a great community.”