Bennington school officials are asking voters to approve a $72 million bond issue for two new schools and land for a third.
Rachel Rayfield has two children in the Bennington district. Her family has lived here for about six years and says the schools attracted them to the area.
“I think that extra attention and the classroom sizes in the school district was a huge reason we bought the house and moved this way in the first place,” Rayfield told 6 News.
Bennington Superintendent Dr. Terry Haack wants to keep the classroom population low, but the district is growing, and growing fast.
“The district in 2004 that had one school and 600 students total. K-12 is now six schools and over 3,200 (students),” Haack told 6 News.
And he expects the district to continue to grow. Officials say the number of high school students in Bennington could more than double over the next ten years.
Right now, the district is expanding the current high school and officials plan to ask taxpayers for 72-million dollars to turn a cornfield into a new elementary school, a new middle school and buy land for a second high school.
“And I would tell you some might think that we’re in front we got to wait for the houses to come and some would tell you as their kids are in school and doubling up in certain areas that we’re behind,” Haack said.
Rayfield said she thinks the district has been wise with taxpayer money, and that she will support the bond issue. Bennington has been able to pass five bond issues since 2003.
Bennington Public Schools will conduct their bond election by mail-in ballot. Ballots should arrive in the mail to registered voters around Feb. 19 and must be turned in by 5 p.m. March 10.