ELKHORN, Neb. (KMTV) — Voters will decide soon whether Elkhorn Public Schools (EPS) will get nearly $123 million to improve safety and update facilities. At Woodbrook Elementary, Principal Pam Wahl said the bond would help their school with capacity issues.
"We opened in August of 2020 and we had 255 students, so we have grown rapidly," she said. "We are currently at 592 students. The inside part of our building can hold 540 and then this outside part can hold 120."
The bond includes a proposal to build two elementary schools. One of the new schools would be a mile away from Woodbrook.
“We just frankly don’t have the classroom space to be able to accommodate all of the students we're projected to have,” said Wahl, who's in favor of the bond.
The other new elementary would help with capacity at Blue Sage Elementary, where two of Meegan Vellek's three kids go. She said the biggest issue right now is with overpopulation, especially at lunch time.
"They just have to get through the lunch line that much faster so it's teaching kids either eat very fast or they don't eat their lunch," said Vellek.
Another big issue is specials time. At Blue Sage, they don't have enough teachers for all of their P.E., art and music classes. This means teachers from other schools have to come in to teach third-grade specials.
"When you have rotating teachers each year, not knowing who's going to be the teacher, they're not able to build that community with the teachers that are at their school because they're not a teacher from that specific school," said Vellek.
Vellek also mentioned that some parents have concerns over boundaries and how their kids will be affected, but that if it doesn't pass, district lines will have to be redrawn.
"Obviously we will be resilient and we will roll with the punches," she said.
District Board Member, Mark Wortman said if the bond passes, taxes for EPS property owners won't increase for a couple of reasons.
"Businesses are also moving out and businesses in the downtown area here and Costco and things that are coming out, our tax base has been going up so right now conservatively forecasting taxes, because of this, will not go up," said Wortman.
As a reminder for voters it's a mail only election and ballots started going out on Monday. Registered voters should look for a gold envelope, after filling it out, they should sign the back of the return envelope before submitting it. Voters can find drop boxes in these locations:
- Bess Johnson Public Library: 2100 Reading Plaza, Elkhorn
- Spring Ridge Shopping Center: 17809 Pierce Plaza, Omaha, NE 68130
- Douglas County Election Commission Office: 12220 W Center Rd, Omaha, NE 68144
Ballots are due on November 14th at 5:00 p.m.
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