Tupelo voters decide fate of $34 million bond for school district
The bond package does not call for a tax hike, and funds improvements throughout the district
TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) – At Lawhon Elementary, there are two bathrooms for hundreds of students in the 2nd and 3rd-grade building.
Some students have to go into the main building to use the restroom. Tupelo Public School Superintendent Dr. Rob Picou said overhauling the restroom facilities in older buildings is just one part of the proposed bond package.
“It upgrades our bathrooms at the elementary level. Some older schools, like Lawhon, have 200 kids, between students, using three toilets. We will expand that for those students,” Dr. Picou said.
The bond money will also help ease overcrowding across the district.
“Not only will we have bond resources, we also have an operating fund, which will increase resources and classroom spaces where we have a need. You talk to just about any elementary principal and at high school, they will tell you they are busting at the seams,” Supt. Picou said.
Dr. Picou said the proposals look to the future needs of the district.
“Playground spaces at elementary schools, adaptive PE. Refurbished and reinvented science classrooms at a high school. We want to redo science classrooms in accordance with career academies, in coordination with our medical community,” Picou said.
Plans also call for two multi-purpose spaces for extracurricular activities. One on the high school campus. The other would be on the middle school campus.
Tupelo Mayor Todd Jordan said the bond package benefits students and teachers, along with everyone who lives in the All-America City.
“We are in a time where a lot of large districts are; we need upgrades, it will be a positive thing for our community,” Mayor Jordan said.
If the bond package is approved, the school board will prioritize the projects and start the bidding process.
The bond package needs 60% of the vote in order to pass.
