Connet Our Schools Update 4/12 City Council Vote

4-10-2016: Connect Our Schools Update

Many of you may be wondering where the Connect Our Schools Campaign stands. Well, we’re one step and pedal closer to victory. While our voice was heard loud and clear before by City Council, there is one more vote on April 12th on the bond amount for all the included projects. If you followed the March 22 City Council meeting then you heard a lot about our city schools. We want to try and help clarify what some of the school discussion was about since it all relates to our desire to have happy, connected, and healthy communities where everyone can move about on foot or on bike.

As it stands, the proposed bond that will be voted on April 12 includes, our proposed greenways as well as the city’s new elementary, new pre-k center and critical HVAC upgrades to Thomas Harrison. Connect Our Schools has generated tremendous support and enthusiasm in our community! The Harrisonburg School Board and school community have also been essential supporters and partners for these initiatives and we thank them along with City Council for their support.

We have great momentum and plan to remain engaged with the city of Harrisonburg to ensure the other needed $1.5 million comes from either a grant or elsewhere within the city budget. We will also continue to push for these greenways and trails to be constructed by the time the new Bluestone Elementary is built in fall of 2017. Bottom line, we still need to keep advocating and paying attention as all these projects hang in the balance.

More details (making sense of the March 22 Council Meeting): the three school projects are the first steps in a connected plan to deal with Harrisonburg school’s continued growth and overcrowding at all levels. So, the new elementary creates needed new classrooms. The new pre-k center moves existing pre-k out of the current K-4 elementary schools. This pre-k move allows 5th grade to return to the elementary schools (long-term plan by the city) and opens up needed space at the growing middle schools. The pre-k move also allows Harrisonburg to continue receiving state pre-k funding, which is dependent on having available pre-k classrooms. Currently, Harrisonburg has to turn away some pre-k funding for low-income children due to lack of space.
It’s all connected (like the greenways) and all parts need to move forward together for the plan to work.  So, let’s continue to show our support for these important investments in a healthy Harrisonburg future.