On May 2nd, Spring Lake voters will be prompted to vote on a 49.8 million dollar bond proposal. Amenities that will be added to the high school are secure entries, 4 new classrooms, a new commons space, visual arts upgrades, media center upgrades, secure classrooms, the addition of outdoor learning spaces, athletic upgrades, fire alarm and security camera upgrades, and instructional technology for students and staff. These upgrades, not only limited to the high school, will commence almost immediately, with construction anticipated from Spring 2024 to Fall 2027.

To understand more about the bond proposal, I asked Spring Lake superintendent, Dennis Furton, a series of questions regarding the proposal.

Will the construction of all new amenities in the high school displace students’ learning areas?

“It’s not lost on me that many of our high school students were at Holmes and Jeffers when the construction occurred there from 2015 – 2017. The good news is that we made it through those projects without too much disruption and learned a lot in the process. If approved by voters, much of the work that would be disruptive to classrooms will occur during summer or other school year breaks. This would include new carpeting and ceiling tiles, upgrades to wiring, and the installation of new technology. Some of the larger projects, particularly renovations to the visual arts classrooms and media center, are too extensive to not impact these areas during the school year. In other instances, we may be subject to schedules that are related to the supply chain, the availability of contractors, and other factors we do not control. It’s safe to say that we should all expect that some learning areas will be displaced during the school year, therefore impacting students and staff. I urge students to be ready for  disruption but to expect that we’ll work to make it as minimal as possible.”

What does “instructional” technology actually mean? What technology will be included?

“Instructional technology refers to the devices that students and staff utilize, including Chromebooks, other computing devices, projectors, monitors, and more. While we have earmarked funding to continue 1:1 computing and to support learning, decisions about what that looks like or what will be included won’t be made until closer to the time of purchase because we don’t know what new or better options will exist one to three years from now.’

Where will the outdoor learning spaces take place, and what will they look like?

“The most likely location of the outdoor learning spaces is to the south of the building in the area of the bus loop. However, a team of students and staff will work together with the architects and designers to explore all options and design the space. What will the spaces look like? I can’t wait to see what our students come up with!”

Linked below are pictures of the brochures sent out to Spring Lake residents regarding the bond proposal and what it will entail. (link pictures above)