Indian Land Elementary hosting March 10 school bond meeting

Indian Land residents will help decide a course for the Lancaster County School District on March 22, leaving just enough time for one more event to help guide their decisions.

A public meeting on the upcoming school bond referendum will be held at 7 p.m. March 10 at Indian Land Elementary School. Members of the bond steering committee will give information ahead of the vote, making their case for the bond.

“We, Lancaster County, have an opportunity to make transformative changes across our school district that will enhance the educational experience of our children,” said committee co-chair Melvin Stroble. “This bond is necessary to address county-wide school issues associated with safety, infrastructure, technology and athletics.”

In December, the Lancaster County School Board voted to put a $199 million bond on the ballot March 22. The package includes money for new schools, security upgrades, technology, athletic facilities and playgrounds.

The district found more space is or will be needed at all four Indian Land schools. A new high school would take three years to build and a site of 80-100 acres. A new elementary school would come sooner. The high school now has about 900 students.

New projects the bond would fund include:

▪ A new K-4 elementary school for 970 students will be built on U.S. 521 below Highway 75 S. and Rebound Road.

▪ Indian Land Elementary and Harrisburg Elementary will become K-4 schools.

▪ Indian Land Middle will become a grade 5-6 school.

▪ Indian Land High will become a grade 7-8 school.

▪ A new Indian Land High will be built for up to 1,500 students. Future expansion could allow for up to 1,800. The district also would build a 1,600-student facility with expansion capability to 2,000. The bond would pay for land for the new school.

▪ New playground equipment and maintenance will be included for all elementary schools district-wide, except the newer Harrisburg.

▪ Artificial turf will be installed in football stadiums district-wide. Some press boxes and spring sports fields will be upgraded. High schools will see additional indoor gym space with bleachers for 400 to provide for volleyball, wrestling, middle school basketball and other sports.

▪ Chromebooks will be purchased for all middle and high school students. Cabling and wireless infrastructure will be installed.

Stroble said support in Indian Land and district-wide has his group optimistic heading toward a vote.

“The residents of Lancaster County overwhelmingly understand the need to invest in the educational future of children in grades K-12,” he said.

According to Stroble’s group, which posted facts and figures related to the bond at worthvotingfor.com, the current year’s operating budget for the school district is $90.5 million. The state funds two-thirds, local taxes the rest. The base student cost is $2,220 per student. Per pupil spending, as of the 2013, was $8,617.

More than 85 percent of district spending goes to salaries and benefits. Operations make up almost 9 percent.

The steering committee estimates bonds would come at a rate of 4.5 percent over 20 years.

The district only can issue up to $25 million in bonds without public approval. Those bonds have been used the past decade to build Harrisburg Elementary, add onto Indian Land Middle and maintain other schools.

With more than 12,000 students, the district has grown by 12 percent the past decade. The last bond referendum came in 1999, to build Buford Elementary and A.R. Rucker Middle.

Stroble sees the upcoming vote as a obligation to “ensure that our schools are properly outfitted” for success.

“The cost of doing nothing is not an option,” he said.

This story was originally published March 6, 2016 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Indian Land Elementary hosting March 10 school bond meeting."