News

Photo by Democrat-Herald.

The School Board is considering developing a bond measure for the May 16, 2017, election that will include new classroom space to accommodate projected enrollment growth and current classroom overcrowding.

In addition to regular classrooms, special programs are also over capacity. Read more about the need for additional space in GAPS special education classrooms in a recent story in the Albany Democrat-Herald.

The third annual Waverly Elementary School Spirit of Giving event brought community support, volunteers and donations to the school so students could shop for holiday gifts.

Postponed from last week because of inclement weather, today’s event brought students and staff back to school for a fun shopping experience that allowed students to choose presents and wrap them.

“Every student had the opportunity to select holiday gifts for their immediate family members, have their gifts wrapped and ready to take home to give their loved ones,” said school counselor Anne Bailey. “This event is made possible through the generous donations of the Albany community and business partners.”

Memorial choir students traveled to the Salem Capitol this week to sing carols in the rotunda. They were part of the December holiday music schedule that brought student entertainment into the building all month.

The choir is directed by Julie Buchert. There are 10 singers in the beginning choir and 24 singers in advanced choir in grades 6-8.

The public is invited to hear the Memorial singers at their winter concert on Wednesday, Dec. 14. For more information, contact Memorial.

Last week Tangent Elementary students hosted the 44th Tangent Senior Dinner for grandparents and “senior” members of the community. Students dined with their classes and enjoyed meal-time conversation with their invited guests.

The event is made possible through the volunteer efforts of many parents, community members and staff.

For more than a year, the School Board has been working on a bond proposal that would update existing schools and construct new classrooms to address current and future needs.

Their goal is to send a proposal to voters in the May 16, 2017 election. The process has included a comprehensive review of facilities by the community-based District Facilities Advisory Committee (DFAC), which resulted in a recommendation to the School Board. They also hosted a series of community forums in October to gather input from community members. Before finalizing a proposal, they will commission a survey of voters to gauge support for potential projects.

The School Board’s plan will balance costs to voters with the growing need to upgrade existing, aging schools. Most of the District’s schools were built to keep up with growth after World War II. Seventeen schools were built between 1948 and 1977. Those buildings need critical improvements to protect the community’s investment in the facilities and to upgrade the learning environment to meet today’s educational standards.

Only two schools – Timber Ridge and Albany Options – were built to meet modern educational standards. They are the only two GAPS schools built after the invention of the internet.

The list of potential bond projects would make critical improvements to schools, allowing the District to maintain its investments in the facilities, and construct new space to accommodate high projected enrollment growth and address educational deficiencies.

More details will be available when the Board develops a proposal in January.

Find more information about the bond planning process and potential facilities projects.