All are welcome to join Gladstone’s school leaders on a series of walking tours to highlight potential building improvements that could be funded by a construction bond measure. During their February meeting, Gladstone School Board members will likely consider referring a measure to voters for consideration on this May’s ballot.
Walking tours of each school building will show the state of existing district facilities, with time for questions following the tours. While each building’s roof and HVAC systems are not publicly accessible for safety reasons, we will be able to review recent photographs of these systems at these events, meeting initially at 5 p.m. in each school’s library:
Monday, Jan. 13: John Wetten Elementary
Wednesday, Jan. 15: Gladstone High School
Thursday, Jan. 23: Kraxberger Middle School
These walking tours will continue the district’s robust public engagement effort since the school district began its facilities review process. Following the facilities assessment, a series of public meetings were held at each Gladstone school in October and November so parents and other community members could talk with school administrators about the potential investments in our educational buildings.
During the previous community engagement sessions, we heard that citizens recognize the importance of addressing aging infrastructure to ensure safe and conducive learning environments for students and protecting the community’s investment. Community feedback indicated a strong preference for essential maintenance projects over more extravagant upgrades.
Many of Gladstone’s more than 50-year-old schools have systems (like HVAC and roofing) at the end of their useful life, according to last year’s report by BRIC Architecture. Architects and engineers who completed the district’s facilities assessment report spotlighted known urgent facilities needs at all four of our school buildings.
We are grateful for the school bond that Gladstone voters approved in 2006. Now we have the opportunity to make additional needed investments without an increased tax rate from a new bond.