CALDWELL -- Leaders in the Vallivue School District say population growth is the driving force behind plans for a new elementary school.
The district is asking voters to approve a $28 million bond that will be used to build the bigger school and make upgrades to other existing buildings.
"The Vallivue School District is one of the fastest growing school districts in the state," said Superintendent Pat Charlton.
He told KTVB the district has doubled in size in the last 15 years, going from 4,000 students to almost 8,000. More room is needed, especially at the elementary level.
Right now, the district's six elementary schools are full. Class sizes are growing and portable classrooms are being used to meet demand.
"The main focus of the bond is to build another elementary school because we are continuing to grow," added Charlton. "We could build this school right now and fill it up."
About $17 million would be used to build the new school. The rest of the bond money would go toward building repairs across the district and toward the purchase of new land for future growth.
Charlton says he also wants to limit the number of portable classrooms Vallivue is using at a number of schools. Two sit behind West Canyon Elementary.
"It's probably our neediest elementary as far as just the structure," added Charlton.
He told us about $4 million from the bond would be used to replace the school's roof and update plumbing. West Canyon is 44 years old. So is another elementary school in the district.
Charlton says repairs must be made to keep the buildings up and running in the future.
He also wants voters to know approving the bond won't raise taxes.
"We have also, with growth, had a substantial increase in our market value so by spreading out the cost of this building across our tax base we're able to do that without increasing our levy rate of $5.82 cents per thousand (of a home's assessed value)."
Charlton says if the bond fails, the district will be in a bind.
"It doesn't change our reality that we really need another elementary school," he said.
The bond needs a super majority to pass. That's two-thirds of the vote.
Back in 2013, voters approved a $51 million bond for the Vallivue School District. Charlton says that money is being used to build a new high school. It's set to open in the fall of 2016.
