Story Created:
Oct 9, 2007 at 4:39 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Feb 19, 2009 at 5:27 PM CDT
Tuesday, October 9, 2007; Posted: 4:39 p.m. (CDT)
School officials in Guthrie say to ensure students have a brighter future they need about $31 million in building bonds. It's a hot topic in the community.
David Stephens, a Guthrie resident, says, "It would be good for the kids and it would also be good for the community and the schools around here."
Another Guthrie Resident, Chris Conant, says, "I'm really not in favor of it because I think Guthrie has a lot better things to do with their money."
Terry Simpson, the Superintendent of Guthrie Public Schools, says, "This would help us deal with some increasing growth."
The money would change the school system to a neighborhood school concept.
"The move back to neighborhood schools would be a situation where we have a pre-kindergarten through fifth graders all at one site. It would be the site closest to where families live," says Simpson.
Currently, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students go to one school. First graders go to another school. Second and third graders are together in another school. Fourth through sixth graders are together at one school. Seventh and eighth graders are at yet another school, and ninth through twelfth graders are at a high school.
Conant says, "When I went to school, I had no problems of where the location was."
Stephens says, "It would be a lot better that way. Parents would know exactly which school their kids have to go to instead of having to go all over town just to take their kids to school."
If the bond issue passes, taxes would increase $14.34 per $100 paid in taxes annually.
