If someone is in any way involved in Marion County, they know there is controversy about the special bond election and about the potential consolidation of East Marion and West Marion schools.
The vote on May 24 will be simply a bond election. The vote is not about consolidation. However, it does all tie in together in most people's minds.
The voters will not be the ones to decide if consolidation happens, but they will have much impact in the decision about how it will happen. Consolidation would be decided by the Marion County School Board. It would not be decided by voters, parents, students, staff, the Marion County Board of Supervisors or even by the district superintendent.
The bond is for $15.1 million for changes to the East and West Marion schools. Whether those changes are for the betterment or for the downfall of the schools in the district depends on what the individual voter is wanting to have achieved. Arguments can be made for both sides.
The bond proposition reads that it is to raise money to basically do all construction and improvements for the following:
(a) To convert East Marion High School into a consolidated Marion County High School with renovations and additions, such as a new Marion County School District Athletic Center, renovated Marion County High Athletic stadium (multiple sports ready) with an upgraded/expanded competition-level track, a new Marion County High baseball facility, renovated and expanded gymnasium, upgraded cafeteria, including a secured outdoor dining courtyard, library renovations and more
(b) To convert East Marion Junior High School to create a Marion County Ninth Grade Academy of Innovation, including STEM laboratory upgrades and more
(c) To convert West Marion High School into a consolidated Marion County Middle School, including the creation of space for the middle school band and renovation of athletic facilities
(d) To convert West Marion Junior High School into the consolidated Marion County Sixth Grade Academy of Innovation
(e) To make security and library upgrades to West Marion Upper Elementary School
(f) To make various renovations, including a walking track, Americans With Disabilities Act improvements and drainage improvements at West Marion Primary School
(g) To make security, playground and library upgrades at East Marion Elementary School
(h) To upgrade parking lots and driveways at all campuses
The ballot states all of the above and then has a spot to check "FOR THE BOND ISSUE ( )" or "AGAINST THE BOND ISSUE ( )."
In addition to the bond money, the Marion County School District also plans to spend $6 million from 16th section funds or loans to build a Performing Arts Complex at the new Marion County High School. These funds were not included in the bond because the district wants to make it as economically feasible as possible and because the district has those funds that they can work with to provide even more opportunities for the students of Marion County. 16th section funds can be used for new construction. The district would borrow from the 16th section interest and would in essence be paying itself back those funds.
Other changes would include changing West Marion Primary to only K-4 through second grade. Third grade would move to West Marion Upper Elementary.
Superintendent Michael Day said the bond amount put materials and construction estimates on the high end, and the district is asking only for what is needed to make the plans work.
The plans for the proposed changes in the district are being done by Allred Stolarski Architecture firm. Within two weeks, the district will have the final renderings of the proposed changes to each campus, and they will be posted in the newspaper as well as on the MCSD website.
The plan that came to be the final one, as set forth in the voting ballot, was not the only option looked at by the district. Several options were looked at.
The first included a brand new high school. That option had a price tag of about $36 million.
Another option was to keep things as they are with two separate schools. That option would be costly to do only the bare minimum of infrastructure that is needed to sustain the schools as they are currently.
Placing the consolidated high school on the campus currently known as West Marion High School was looked at but found not feasible after an infrastructure analysis showed the water issues, terrain limits and construction limitations mean a track cannot be added. There is no place to build a performing arts center. The water table issues were too great, and the cost of building up the area would be too great and unsustainable long-term.
The recommendation of the architecture firm was for Marion County High School to be built at the location currently known as East Marion High School. There is already a track there, so the needed infrastructure is in place. There is enough room to build the desired new facilities, and the campus is already close to the vocational school.
The new athletic center would have a weight room, a memorabilia room for all MCSD schools, an aerobics area, treadmills, a plyometrics area and more. All students and staff would have access to the athletic center. The plan is to build this complex on the current baseball field and to build a new baseball complex.
"The district cannot afford two stadiums with tracks, two athletic centers and two performing arts centers," Day said. "To be practical, we need to pool resources. The athletic facilities are adequate but not competitive in attracting growth. The county has seen a decrease in the settlement of families and a decrease in new businesses."
The bond election is a means to an end. The general agreement is that whether a person is for or against that end, it is still going to be a reality at some point in the near future. The question is whether there is a better way than the bond issue to achieve the best results for the students of the Marion County School District.
Consolidation can and most likely will still happen even if the bond is not approved. However, the question becomes one of how it will be done and at what cost to the students and the county. If it must be done in a few years because of the loss of students, it will be done with less funds and less improvements, and Day said it will already have cost the county and the children.
"If we do not go on and do it now," he said, "with continued decrease in enrollment, it lessens the ability of the district to control the consolidation."
Many districts in the state are going through the same process at this time. Those include Smith, Simpson and Covington. Some have already consolidated, and others are working towards it. There are many reasons for consolidation, but the main reason that it boils down to is financial.
The MCSD touts the benefits of consolidation as increased scholarship opportunities for students, consolidation of resources, stronger alignment of all programs including academic, athletic and arts, more options for student programming and improved facilities that would yield greater attraction of prospective students and staff.
Better schools attract more people and more businesses, according to Day. That, in turn, brings in more revenue. One of the first questions people ask when they move to an area is, "How are the schools?" Even people with no children understand the importance of this basic fact of economics.
If school districts are losing students, they are also losing funds, staff and programs. Data from the Mississippi Department of Education shows that in the past 10 years, Marion County Schools, as well as Columbia Schools, have lost students. MCSD shows a 10-year loss of 592 students, while CSD has had a loss of 322 students. This year, CSD has 1,573 students enrolled, while MCSD has 1,942 students enrolled. There are 343 of at East Marion High School and 582 at West Marion High School.
Those opposing consolidation argue that there are Trojan and Eagle legacies that they wish to maintain for their children. There are those who feel some athletes will not be able to get as much playing time if there is only one high school, and that they will miss the East-West rivalry in sports. Day counters that the district's plan actually increases opportunities for students to play and fosters the building of a powerhouse sports team that will then be a rival to larger and more competitive schools. The district would start its feeder programs earlier. Sixth grade games, which are usually shorter, could be held before the junior high games, so attendance would be increased.
"The sixth and seventh graders would have a good positive coach at a time when kids tend to get into the most trouble," Day said. "There will be more sports offered. Ninth grade will have their own team so those students could play ninth grade or junior varsity if they are good enough. We will be building capacity for future sports excellence. For a dynasty. The stronger your feeder programs, the stronger the chances of producing star athletes."
Many have asked about the bussing issues and the long rides for students. The district is considering a staggered start to the school day based on grade levels with high school starting around 8:15 a.m. The changes would not be drastic.
People have also asked why this would need to be done if the schools are thriving now.
"There is a whole other level of competitiveness that can be reached," Day said. "It is critical that students are successful beyond their high school years. There is much room for growth. We owe this to the students of the entire district."
Another question is if staff will be cut or reassigned. Day said the district would begin a process of RIF, which is reduction in force, and then will immediately rehire all staff. Staff would be able to request their preference of grade levels and positions through a letter of interest. The class sizes and teacher-to-student ratio should not change with staff numbers not changing.
"There will be no need or intention to decrease the number of positions," Day said. "As the second largest employer in the county, we value all employees."
The tax increase would be placed on property, which is real estate and vehicles. For example, the year's tax increase on a $50,000 home would be approximately $61. If someone had a $100,000 home and a $15,000 car, the tax impact would be about $177 a year or $15 a month.
The school district website will include an easy-to-follow feature to calculate each property owner's increase in taxes if the bond is approved. Those over 65 and on disability will not have any increase in their property taxes.
Day and the school board will be doing presentations for students, staff, the Marion County Board of Supervisors and key community leaders then will begin holding forums.
Teams are being formed to run the campaign for the bond election. Those teams will include residents from each board member's district as well as staff and students.
The website will also provide a schedule of dates for community forums where citizens could go and ask questions. The MCSD board meetings are held the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. and are open to the public. Time for speaking at the meetings is limited, so the forums are going to be the best places for the community to ask questions and make their feelings known to the school board.
The website will also have frequently asked questions, and new answers will be added as questions are posted.
If the bond is passed, implementation will begin. One reason the election was set as a special election was to start the process over the summer with bids and construction beginning.
All projects are on a simultaneous time line, which means they will all get started and be ongoing at the same time. The plan is for the changes to be ready to implement for the 2023-2024 school year or 2024-2025 at the latest.
"Many people don't realize that we have been going to school with East Marion students for our vocational classes. We see these students build friendships; we work together and get along. We have many talented students who go unnoticed because of the division in our district," Christian Jordan, a West Marion High School senior, said.
"It comes down to leadership and expectations of the community," Day said. "The kids will rise to the occasion and meet the given expectations, and that is what matters for the future of our schools."
