School District 196 Superintendent Mary Kreger along with Director of Finance & Operations Mark Stotts will be presenting information about the school tax bond referendum set for May 9 to address the district's facilities and equipment needs for the next 10 years. This bond affects you as it would raise your taxes. Come learn all about the referendum and ask your questions. 

ABOUT THE REFERENDUM >
Quality public schools are at the core of thriving communities. Many families report choosing to live in District 196 because of the quality of the schools, the opportunities for students and our Triple-A, whole-child approach to learning through academics, arts and athletics. Quality schools keep demand for housing strong and property values higher.

To ensure adequate and appropriate space to continue the quality of education District 196 families expect, a district committee conducted a nearly two-year review of facilities and equipment needs and developed a phased master plan to address needs in three areas. 

• Safety and Security – The safety of students, staff and visitors is always our top priority. To ensure safe spaces, our schools need replacement of security camera systems, additional cameras and lighting, updated fire alarm and communication systems, and redesigned bathrooms for improved supervision and added privacy.
   
• Space for Growth – As a destination district for people moving to the area, our need for space continues to grow. To eliminate overcrowding and ensure adequate space for projected enrollment growth in the next 10 years, we need to build new schools and renovate/add to current spaces. 
   
• Consistent Experience – We strive to provide students and families the same opportunities in academics, arts and athletics at all of our schools, which were built in different years and have different needs. To do this, we need to update older schools and technology, and build new spaces across the district. 

Improvements are proposed to address these needs in a two-question bond referendum election the committee recommended and the School Board approved for Tuesday, May 9, 2023 (absentee voting begins March 24). 

If approved by district voters, the bond would improve safety and security at every school, provide additional space for now and the future, address deferred maintenance needs, update learning spaces and add high school activity centers to provide needed space for physical education classes, cocurricular activities and community use. The recommendations include improvements for every school and learning center in the district.