$175 Million Bond Proposed To Deal With Deer Creek Public Schools' Growth

Deer Creek school officials report a rising student population has resulted in the need for two new elementary schools and additional classrooms to existing buildings.

A $175 million bond has been proposed to pay for those facilities, among other projects including storm shelters.

School starts Aug. 17 in Deer Creek and Tamar Gillock worked to get her girls enrolled Wednesday. Her husband's job moved to them metro three weeks ago from Memphis. She said they chose Deer Creek because the schools.

“The only thing that was considered was where they were going to go to school because that’s so important,” she said.

Gillocks daughters are three of the reported 300 additional students the district sees each year. As the enrollment numbers rise, Superintendent Ranet Tippens said the square footage should too.

“The only thing we can do if we do not build schools is increase the class size. We’ll have to put more students per classroom,” Tippens told News 9.

Primarily, the projects included on the proposed $175 million bond address the growth.

Tippens said the middle school is full and needs a second floor.

While Spring Creek, the newest elementary, is also currently at capacity and in need of more classrooms. It’s one of the schools set to get a new wing of classrooms if the bond passes.

Some of the additional wings in the district will double as storm shelters.

“There is a very serious need to begin work on the wings and the new elementary schools,” Tippens said.

District officials said the maximum possible increase impacting taxpayers is one percent per year with this bond.

“If you paid $1,000 last year in your taxes, this bond issue at the most will cost you $10 more for the year, so less than one dollar a month,” she added.

There are two community meetings scheduled to answer questions about the bond for August 4 at 6:30 p.m. and August 8 at 10 p.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. at the Performing Arts & Athletic Center.

Election day is August 23.

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