Bonds For Keystone Public Schools Would Provide Air Conditioning, Security Updates, Buses

Keystone Public Schools hopes to make major improvements through two bonds that would raise property taxes by about 6% for homeowners in the district.  

One of the main upgrades the district plans to make is putting air conditioning in the cafeteria.  

When students head back to class on September 8, they'll be starting another school year without air conditioning in the cafeteria.

"Our cafeteria's never been air conditioned,” Superintendent Rhett Bynum said.  

Bynum said they get by with fans and cracking the windows open. 

"Sometimes it gets hot,” Bynum said.  “It's usually August and September are our worst months for that. So, and then the cafeteria staff would also greatly appreciate it.”

The heating system would also be replaced.

Other upgrades include replacing a leaky roof over the round gym and redoing the cracked floors in the hallways of that building. 

The elementary school would also get new flooring. Inside the classrooms, the bond would help pay for new textbooks.  

"The textbook stipend that we get from the state is nowhere close to what we need,” Bynum said.  

Bynum said the $645,000 building bond would also go toward upgrading security at the district, with cameras down every hallway, and automatic locks for every door.  

If the building bond passes, the district also plans to make technology upgrades, and put up new sidewalk covers all over the campus.  

Another decision for voters on August 25th is whether to support a $180,000 transportation bond to buy new school busses.  

"There's a grant for propane busses that we can apply for, and if we qualify for it, hopefully we can purchase four busses, if not then we'll go traditional diesel busses and buy two,” Bynum said.  

Bynum said if the bonds pass, the district would receive the money next May, and see the upgrades in the fall of 2021.