Calvert ISD calls $10 million bond election for May

CALVERT, Texas (KBTX) - Calvert residents have a big decision coming this spring. On May 1 voters will decide on the school district’s $10 million bond proposal.

The district is looking at new learning options and spaces for students. One of the big problems now is the nearly 100 year old main building is no longer code compliant. Stairs make the building non-ADA compliant and movement difficult for disabled students and older staff.

The bond project would create 10 to 14 new classrooms, add science and career technology education space and remodel the current school building. The district says the main building would be used for administrative space and some classrooms would become bigger.

”It’s going to make a big impact in this area,” said Christina Mendoza, a Calvert English teacher who has been there for six years.

District staff says the plan would address challenges with their aging facilities.

”I’m a veteran, United States Army and you have wear and tear on your bones and it’s kind, it is hard to go up the stairs and go back down the stairs... Technology is one of the main things that we need to focus on to prepare our students for the future and what the job market that’s going to be available,” Mendoza said.

”We want to give them a place that they can have more pride in,” said Ronnell Trotter, Calvert ISD Administrative Assistant.

For a $100,000 home, it would mean an additional $281.25 a year in property taxes. The district says property values on average are lower than that. For the average home with a taxable value of $31,291 it would mean an additional $110.16 in taxes. There would be no tax increase for property owners 65 and older with a homestead exemption.

Superintendent Dr. Thyrun Hurst wants voters to know all the facts when they cast their ballots.

”I think the big part of it is having all of our students pre-k through 12 under one roof for all instructional purposes. No longer will our pre-k through sixth grade have to travel outside in the weather to walk to a temporary building for classrooms,” Hurst said.

“If you want to vote in the bond election on May 1 you have to be registered to vote by April 1 of this year, and we have three people at the school that can help you get registered to vote,” said Lindsay White, Calvert ISD Executive Administrative Assistant.

”There’s just a lot of issues that could be remedied if there was another facility,” said Mendoza.

An in-person and virtual town hall meeting is happening Thursday, March 25 at 6 p.m. at the Spigner Elementary building. It’s located at 800 W. Texas Avenue in Calvert.

More information on the bond is here.

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