Many schools in the Salem-Keizer School District will show signs of a makeover when they welcome returning students to school, thanks to a $242 million construction bond voters supported in November of 2008.

Four Corners Elementary's playground was resurfaced.

The bond is allowing the school district to address long overdue renovations, and repairs. A total of 34 schools were recipients of the first wave of projects this summer that were on time and within budget.

“Accountability is key,” said Salem-Keizer School District Superintendent Sandy Husk. “Voters expressed their confidence our school district would identify the highest priority projects and move forward quickly and efficiently to complete those projects on time and at a reasonable cost. I can say with confidence we are doing that.”

Some students will find their school has a fresh coat of paint, while others will experience classrooms with new floors. Many will not see the important infrastructure changes that took place over the summer, such as a new roof or fire alarm system. But all projects contribute to the well-being of students in the Salem and Keizer communities.

Local businesses are reaping the benefits of the bond, as well. The school district placed an emphasis on ensuring local firms had every opportunity to compete for the summer bond work. Companies, such as Cascade Paving, McGilchrist and Sons, and Houck Construction were among the local firms successfully competing for, and being awarded contracts for summer’s construction work at the schools. Regardless of where the contractor’s headquarters is located, every dollar spent on local projects injects an additional three to six dollars into the local economy, a welcome plus in these troubling economic times.

A Citizen Bond Oversight Committee has been created to oversee administration of the construction bond. It was formed in March to help assure bond projects are delivered to the community on time and within the promised scope and budget. The next meeting of the committee will occur on Friday, September 18 from 1:30–3:00. The committee will review the projects that occurred during the summer of 2009, projects that will occur in the fall—such as replacement of bleachers at several high schools—and upcoming projects for 2010, 2011, and 2012.

The schools that had or will have construction bond projects in 2009 include Auburn, Chapman Hill, Clear Lake, Crossler, Cummings, Englewood, Four Corners, Hayesville, Hazel Green, Highland, Hoover, Kennedy, Lake Labish, Liberty, McKay, McKinley, McNary, Middle Grove, North, Pringle, Richmond, Rosedale, Salem Heights, Schirle, South, Sprague, Sumpter, Swegle, Waldo, Washington, West, Whiteaker, Wright, and Yoshikai.

To view the construction bond projects at each school as well as the schedule for future improvements, see the Salem-Keizer School District construction bond update web page at http://www.salkeiz.k12.or.us/content/bond-updates.