ENCINITAS — Voters in the Cardiff School District will decide in November if they are willing to tax themselves to pay for $22 million in facilities improvements at the district’s two elementary schools.
The school board unanimously placed a $22 million bond measure on the Nov. 7 ballot after two years of studying the issue and receiving positive community buy-in from a survey this spring.
“The Board’s main priority is the students,” Board President Mark Whitehouse, said. ”Our District has excellent teachers and administration, great families, supportive business owners, and a long history of being one of the best school districts in San Diego, as a result of our focus on the students. The learning environment should also reflect this. Modern, naturally lit, well-ventilated classrooms will improve student learning. This project will also provide an opportunity to address student safety through a new, cohesive campus layout.”
The proposed bond measure would be used to rebuild, upgrade and renovate district facilities, including replacing leaky roofs, renovating or replacing deteriorating plumbing and sewer systems, and upgrading inadequate electrical systems.
The district would also rebuild Cardiff School’s 65-year-old classrooms, replace aging temporary portables with new classrooms at Cardiff School and Ada Harris School and also construct a new multipurpose room to replace Cardiff Elementary’s 55-year-old multipurpose room and move it closer to the school’s main entrance to provide a safer campus layout.
Additional projects include promoting energy efficiency with solar, sustainable buildings, and replacement of inefficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
Voters in the district approved a bond measure in 2000 that rebuilt Ada Harris School and also provided the Cardiff School campus with modernization of the old buildings, as well as a new library, computer lab and administration building and an art and science lab.
The school district conducted telephone polling of the registered voters in the district, surveyed currently enrolled district families, community meetings from a facilities focus group, and received public comments from residents at board meetings.
The results of the polling showed that 79 percent of the district’s registered voters surveyed by telephone believe in the need for more funding, and 74 percent would vote yes on a proposition.
