Edmond Voters To Decide On $80 Million Bond Issue For New Schools

Two new schools and land for a new Edmond high school are at the top of the list of a bond issue voters will be asked to approve in a few weeks.

The $80 million bond issue is the biggest in Edmond district history.

At Cross Timbers Elementary on North Kelly in Edmond they added a new addition last fall.

"We thought we would have two years before we filled every room," said Cross Timbers principal Cathey Bugg.

They filled it up immediately. And this year, had to add four portable classrooms out back. The school gained 111 students just in the past year.

"It's definitely an overcrowding issue," said Bugg.

To ease some of that overcrowding the district wants to build another elementary school in the area on Sorghum Mill east of Broadway. The bond issue also calls for a New Middle school on Penn between Danforth and Covell. And the purchase of land east of I-35 for a new high school.

"North, northwest, east, we've seen growth in all areas of our district," says Susan Parks-Schlepp, Director of Public Information for Edmond School District.

The district routinely goes to voters for money to build new schools but because of the growth of the district and retirement of other bonds, it rarely results in a tax increase. And administrators don't think it will happen this time either.

"I think it's interesting to note that over the past 12 years, the tax variations in our district have actually averaged a decrease in $1.11 per $100,000 in home value," said Schlepp.

In the neighborhood immediately behind Cross Timbers, only one of these homes was here a year ago, and just today they learned of another new neighborhood going in nearby.

It all means even more students, and more portable classrooms. But Principal Bugg is hoping voters will give them some relief.

In the Edmond, district voters have successfully passed 55 consecutive bond issues.

The bond issue also calls for some security upgrades, fine arts and athletic equipment, and improvements to the running tracks at all three high schools.

Read all the details about the bond issue!