LA PORTE CITY – In less than four weeks, the voters in the Union Community School District will – for the first time in the history of the district (spanning nearly four decades) – vote on a bond. Specifically, on November 5, 2024, the voters will decide whether to authorize $20.5 million dollars worth of general obligation bonds for the district to provide funds to construct, furnish, and equip an addition to the High School building and improve the site; to remodel, repair, improve, furnish and equip portions of the existing High School and Middle School buildings; and to improve the existing mechanical and fire alarm systems at the existing Elementary buildings. Before delving into this language too much, let’s look at the facts:

Not many districts — if any — can say they have not had a bond issue, even up for election, in its history.

The top priority for the district is safety and security. Part of the bond funds will go towards state-of-the art safety and security systems. Specifically, the district is considering Centegix, a mass emergency notification system. Centegix was recently used in the horrific school shooting in Georgia, and law enforcement there truly believed, and have made statements, that the system saved additional injuries and prevented loss of life. Union would be the 1st district in Iowa to implement this system, pending the bond vote.

In addition to Centegix, the district is also in discussions with ZeroEyes. ZeroEyes utilizes artificial intelligence and human verification with (current) security cameras to detect weapons, both inside and outside of buildings. Union would be one of only a handful of districts in Iowa to have this technology. No district in Iowa has both systems! In my opinion, the Union Community School District would become the absolute leader in the state of Iowa in taking steps to help keep our students and staff safe.

Many of our facilities need to be improved/replaced due to age. The UHS HVAC system, which is actually four different ones (instead of a single one), is nearly 3X past its expected life span. In fact, the oldest portion is from 1954, and the newest portion is 1974. There are no replacement parts for the system. The fire alarms in the elementary schools are not up to code. Yes, they are working. However, in an emergency situation, they would not function as ones mandated by law. The roof at UMS is 5-10 years past the average life of a school roof. To be honest, if any of these fail we would have to close the building and either cancel school or move the students/staff.

Multiple sets of restrooms, especially at UHS and UMS, are not ADA compliant. Our students or visitors with mobility issues can’t use these facilities.

Our most used gymnasiums- the ones at UMS and UHS- do not have air conditioning and often the heat does not work either. In addition, there is no air conditioning in four UHS classrooms- art, health, and in two of the three science rooms as well as no air conditioning in the shop (working area) and hallways.

The home locker rooms at UHS have water piping and plumbing that are original to the building. Further, the visiting locker rooms are not big enough to accommodate any basketball or volleyball team. Visiting teams use a classroom for pre and postgame.

Remodeling the media center, FCS and two science rooms would transform these learning spaces to better promote student learning.

A new, imaginative UHS commons area next to the kitchen and gymnasium at UHS would not only provide much needed space for students but also be a tremendous point of pride with fans and visitors.

Moving and renovating the UHS kitchen allows for increased accessibility, quicker deliveries and food transport, higher quality baked goods, expanded storage areas, and generally elevates efficiency.

Having the auxiliary/community space would be a tremendous asset for the following: allows for our communities to promote health and recreation, provides an economic benefit by expanding our ability to host youth tournaments and bring more people to the school and our communities, guarantees more flexibility when it comes to scheduling for physical education and both school and youth activities; enables the school to host more (and bigger) music events, and generally creates a more comfortable, inviting setting for all. Moreover, the addition of two accompanying brand new locker rooms will not only be a benefit to the community members using the facility, but will be the new space for the Union athletic teams. In addition, the Craft family has made a generous monetary donation for the naming rights of this facility in memory of their daughter, Kate, who passed away last year after a courageous battle with cancer.

Let’s look at the tax impact. Currently, 69% of school districts in Iowa have a tax rate higher than Union, and the tax rate has been pretty stable over the 15+ years. Union has the 4th lowest rate in the North Iowa Cedar League (NICL), our conference for activities. Even with the tax increase associated with the bond issue, we would have the 6th highest rate in the conference. All of the districts above that, most of which we “compete” for students, have passed a bond in the last four years.

Finally, and most importantly in terms of the future of the district, any improvements in facilities, especially those associated with the bond, will have a positive impact on student enrollment.

In summary, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, the voters have to decide on the district’s first bond issue in history, valued at $20.5 million. As the superintendent of the Union Community School District, I can’t tell you what decision to make, but I can say that the facts above do accurately reflect the work of the board, staff, many parents/guardians, multiple community members, our construction manager and marketing team and especially the bond committee in informing voters of the need. Go Knights!

John Howard is Superintendent of Union Community School District.