Verdigris Public Schools will be holding a “No Tax Increase” school bond election on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006.

The proposed “No Tax Increase” bond issue is a six-year, three series bond, totaling $6,330,000. The purpose of the bond issue is to allow the school system to construct new buildings to meet current and future growth, and to provide more age-appropriate groupings of students and facilities for greater educational opportunities.

New construction will be instrumental in the Verdigris school system, meeting state department education mandates in classroom sizes and

all day kindergarten (required by the year 2011).

The school system is at capacity at all three main building sites. Offices, locker rooms and a computer lab currently are utilized as classroom space in the elementary building.

Construction projections in the Verdigris School District include more than 500 new homes in the near future. More new housing developments are already under serious consideration in the school district.

As a result of the completion of the last phase and the expiration of the $7,500,000, eight-year, four-part series bond issue passed in the fall of 1997, the current bond issue will not increase taxes for local tax payers.

The “Not Tax Increase” bond issue will provide for a new Early Childhood Center (Pre-K and All Day Kindergarten), and a new seventh and eighth grade center.

Each grouping of students will be housed in their own building with individual libraries, computer labs, and age-appropriate equipped and fenced playgrounds and extracurricular facilities.

Additionally, the “No Tax Increase” bond issue will provide

for covered walkways at the elementary sites, classroom furnishings, remodeling of existing buildings,

a school/community track facility, computers for all sites, transportation needs, and an Administrative/

Technology Center.