A special election will be held on May 24 for a bond issue for the Marion County School District to assist with funding a merger of East Marion and West Marion schools.
The motto for the new Marion County Schools campaign is "One Community, One Mission, One Marion! Building together a better and stronger Marion County!"
"A school district plays a vital role in the development of a community. If schools are doing well, people want to move into that district and vice versa," Marion County Superintendent Michael Day said Tuesday. "When a district is financially sound, but the programs don't meet the needs of the children, the situation is not balanced, and we must address that imbalance with an intentional focus on opportunities and experiences that lead to success that's measured by whether students are competitive in college and in the job market."
The school district conducted a needs analysis and realized it had to kick-start growth within the district to positively impact the community.
Day said the purpose of looking at consolidation at all is two-fold.
Data shows that schools either positively or negatively impact economic growth and revenue within a community. If a district is not attracting people, then the tax base and the real estate market are not growing.
"We must put a system in place where we can provide more advanced and rigorous programs in academics, arts and athletics. Our kids must be able to compete with kids from other districts," Day said. "They have the abilities to compete, but the district does not have the programs to prepare them to do so. The money, in the end, belongs to the kids."
The plan is such that the lower grade schools will stay intact for the most part with the primary changes to the middle and high school grades. Every campus will have an upgrade, with the main focus centered on a new high school campus.
There will be sixth grade and ninth grade academies created where students can choose between STEM, performing arts and career/vocational as paths for achieving their academic goals.
Included in the plan are a new football stadium, a new baseball field, a new track field, an athletic complex and a performing arts complex.
Circuit Clerk Janette Nolan told the Marion County Board of Supervisors that the special election will involve about 10,000 voters or 19 out of 22 precincts. Therefore, the voting precincts must be ready by May 24 rather than by the primary election in June. The school board will reimburse the county for the cost of the special election, and Nolan will give the school board a written estimate of the cost.
Day said the election could have been held at only two precincts at East Marion and West Marion, but the board wants everyone involved to be included in the vote.
Forums will be held prior to the vote for the public to express their thoughts, to learn more and to ask questions.
Details of the bond issue and specific plans for consolidation will be presented in next week's issue of The Columbian-Progress.
