By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice
In a decisive voice, the Mesa County community voted for ballot measures 4A and 4B. This passage is a clear mandate: Buildings with accessibility and security issues get an overhaul. Five learning days remain on the school calendar. And teachers will receive more approved curriculum sources, so they won’t have to resort to websites like Teachers Pay Teachers.
Mesa County voters passed Ballot Issue 4A with 71% approval to fund school renovations. Ballot Issue 4B, with 65% approval, allows retaining funds for extra educational resources and maintenance.
Dr. Brian Hill, the district’s superintendent, praised the community’s commitment: “This support,” he said, “means we can create safer, more modern learning environments. [We can] equip our classrooms with tools to inspire creativity and innovation. And [we’ll be able to] ensure our teachers and staff have the resources they need to do what they do best.”
School board members say these measures will mean more than just bricks and mortar. D51 schools will deliver with a culture of accountability and transparency.
School board member Angela Lema acknowledged the community’s trust, “We are so grateful to our community for seeing the value in our schools, in our students, and being willing to meet the needs of the district with the bond — or at least meet some of those needs, begin to meet those needs.”
She highlighted that while the bond is under $200 million, the district’s comprehensive needs surpass $600 million, underscoring the bond’s role as a vital starting point.
School board president Andrea Haitz’ personal connection to Central High School brings a unique perspective. “I’m a CHS graduate. I was in the old CHS building before they built the new gym on it, which is now 20-plus years old.” She added, “Kids who get injured in athletics or have disabilities can’t get upstairs where science classrooms are. And the issue with science classrooms is we don’t have the vent hoods and everything you need for science experiments you’d like them to do.”
Haitz looks forward to the upcoming improvements, especially for Central High School. She noted, “In 2017, when they tried to run the bond measure for some of the high schools, including Central, it didn’t pass.” She stressed the need for these investments, “I own investment properties and know what it takes to take care of roofs and HVAC systems. I’m excited that we’re going to maintain the buildings that the taxpayer owns.”
Lema also pointed out practical improvements like ADA compliance at Central High School, “CHS will receive the largest sum of money from the bond of any single school. With that, it will become ADA compliant, and there will be a lot of safety enhancements for that school. Right now, because of the stairs throughout [Central], if you’re on crutches or in a wheelchair, you have to go completely around the building. It’s just not accessible. If they have classes on that second floor, they can’t even get to them. So they have to move the class to another location. It’s more than inconvenient — it’s disruptive.”
Transparency in the use of these funds serves as a cornerstone of the initiative. Haitz assured, “In the bond and the mill language, we wrote into it at the very bottom that there is going to be accountability. So for any board after us, the community has an assurance that those dollars will be spent on what we said they’ll be spent on.”
Lema, reflecting on the community’s expectations, stated, “The biggest thing is it will be undertaken with transparency. We’ve got to maintain transparency with our community and continue to make sure that they’re informed about what’s happening, how the money is being spent.”
To enable this transparency, Lema noted the district’s use of technology. “Our master facility plan is on the website, and it’s updateable.” Repairs, maintenance and upgrades will show up there almost in real time, allowing the community to track the progress and ratings of the schools.”
Lema’s enthusiasm for this is evident. “I think it’s a great transparency tool. Our community can go to the website, day or night, and see where we are with all of our schools.” Community members can monitor updates through the Facility Master Plan, accessible here.
The broader implications of these measures extend beyond school walls. Haitz noted, “Good schools help attract businesses.” She explained, “When St. Mary’s Hospital recruits, local schools are a factor for those considering a move to Mesa County.”
Dr. Hill highlighted the community’s role in passing the measures. “I want to thank the Board of Education for voting to place these initiatives on the ballot,” he said. “Everyone who knocked on doors, made phone calls, gave presentations, wrote Letters to the Editor, talked to their colleagues, neighbors, and friends, put a sign in their yard, and most importantly, everyone who took the time to vote!”
In 2021, voters approved a $115 million bond for a new Grand Junction High School. The old school had major maintenance issues, including an irreparable foundation. The ribbon-cutting was on Aug. 3. Students are using the new building for the first time this school year.
“Just walking into Grand Junction High School and talking to the students, I hear expressions of pride,” Lema remarked. “They feel valued because the community cared enough to provide them with such a beautiful new school.”
District 51 aims to improve both its infrastructure and educational standards through these measures.
Haitz’s vision is ambitious and a challenge for Mesa County families, “We don’t only want to be the best in the state of Colorado. We want to be a really high-performing district in the United States.”