$588.5 million of the proposed $777 million bond passed on the recent May 4 election. Propositions A and B passed while C, D, and E all failed to gather 50% or more of voters.
“How many people are eligible to vote in Mansfield? And only 11,000 people showed up to vote? It definitely doesn’t fully represent the population,” Academic Associate Principal Stephanie Monajami said. “I have heard that sometimes they rewrite it, hopefully they do and we get needed items for all you guys.”
Proposition D, which includes Phase 2 of the MAC and an additional space for Fine Arts programs, did not pass meaning that the dance room will still be overcrowded. Drill team coaches will have to manage drill, dance and cheer classes in the small space.
“One of us has to teach a class in the foyer if we are doing different material, so having two spaces would definitely allow every class to have their own space and not have to be crammed,” Coach Brooke Parlin said. “But really, [Proposition D] could’ve been super impactful for drill and cheer to be able to have space during their class period.”
Proposition C and E were also voted against in the election, meaning that stadium renovations and Phase 3 of the Mac will not be completed.
“So I can see why people would maybe not see the benefits of sports, but it’s statistically proven decade over decade that students who are involved in extracurricular activities excel academically as well,” Ms. Monajami said. “Even if you have the most skilled players and athletes, but their facilities are not what they need to be, they’re going to be at a disadvantage.”
Proposition B passed voter approval allowing $4 million to be spent on replacing 2,000 projector units and digital signage in classrooms and hallways across the district.
“Some of these projectors are on their last legs in the classroom,” Ms. Monajami said. “So the instructional technology will be an amazing thing, it’ll be really cool.”
The remaining $584.5 million are invested in Proposition A.
- Equip, renovate and upgrade equipment and facilities
- Purchase replacement buses, renovate and construct bus shops and bays
- Build a MISD Police Station
- Choir and Orchestra Space at Middle Schools
- Add space to Ben Barber for CTE classes and convert classrooms to high-tech labs
- Resurface and add lights to high school tennis courts, resurface middle school tracks, build covered batting cages at high schools, install turf at high school baseball and softball fields and renovate weight rooms and replace bleachers and scoreboards at middle school practice fields.
- Build a new Early Learners Academy for preschoolers
“I’m really excited about the opportunity of an additional Pre-K center,” Ms. Monajami said. “That is such an amazing facility that makes learning fun for those four year olds and gets them involved in hands-on applications that help them explore the world around them. That’s probably one of my favorite things that was approved in the bond.”
Although the MACs will not be completed through this bond, baseball and tennis will receive facility upgrades. Lighting will be added to tennis courts allowing their practice to extend past sundown, and baseball and softball fields will be converted into turf and their batting cages will be rebuilt with covering. Softball coach Cade Oliver is thrilled to have turf fields to fight against rainy practices.
“So both our baseball and softball fields at Legacy are kind of in a floodplain, like catalytic to a degree,” Coach Oliver said. “So the turf field is a huge, huge upgrade we needed.”
Turf fields at all MISD high schools bring opportunities for more revenue. At Weatherford High School, Coach Oliver’s previous coaching position, other schools would pay to use their field and facilities along with their PA and speaker system.
“I mean, it also gives the opportunity for us to host playoff games, so that brings more money into the program,” Coach Oliver said. “It also cuts back on expenses because when we can’t be on the field due to bad weather, we go to D-Bat or have to travel to farther locations.”
Even though not every bond passed during the election, it is likely that the failed propositions will be re-written and re-proposed. Whether or not they pass, all ages and grades throughout MISD will benefit from the propositions that did pass.
