By ESTHER K. SMITH
News staff writer
October 29, 2007

The Hood River County School District has been holding public forums where members of the community can learn more about a potential school bond levy for 2008.

Dr. Pat Evenson-Brady, school superintendent, is making the slideshow presentations, called “Room to Learn,” at various schools in the district. The next meetings are scheduled for Oct. 31 at Hood River Valley High School, 3:30 p.m. in the library, and Nov. 5 at Mid Valley Elementary School, at 2:30 p.m.

She gave a sample presentation to the school board at its Wednesday evening meeting. The slideshow illustrates what recent bonds have paid for and what could be made possible with the bond levy being considered for 2008.

Slides showing crowded classrooms, water-stained ceilings and other problems at district school buildings help to bring home the seriousness of the problem faced by the district.

She also walks the attendees through the various options available to deal with the problem, including costs and specifics. One option is to add on to existing schools and another is to build one larger elementary school and combine schools.

Following the slide show Evenson-Brady will field questions from attendees. Past forums have been followed by good discussions, she told the school board. The participants will also be given cards to fill out with any concerns or suggestions they may have.

Evenson-Brady said that each school is being asked to schedule in a meeting time for the forums, so it is hoped that more opportunities will be announced at a later date.

“We have an opportunity to demonstrate again the importance of schools to our communities with support for both a Construction Bond and a Local Option Levy,” Board Chair Jan Veldhuisen Virk said in an earlier press release. “The Construction Bond will allow the district to maintain and upgrade our existing facilities, while extending the Local Option Levy will assure that we have operating funds to offer at least the programs we are currently offering.

There are currently two outstanding bonds: a 1993 $15.9 million bond, which will be paid off in 2008, and a 2001 bond for $9.1 million that will be paid off in 2016.