Most of our schools are in need of seismic improvements and other security upgrades to ensure student safety and each school’s use as a community resource center.
Why are seismic upgrades important?
A school, or multiple schools, suddenly out of commission presents several challenges:
- Education cannot stop because a building has closed. Kids who attended that school would have to be placed in other schools, which would mean higher transportation costs and larger classrooms.
- School buildings are used for a variety of purposes beyond daily academics (e.g., community centers, extracurricular activities, building rentals, political/voting functions, etc.). In fact, most of our buildings are slated for emergency use within their communities, but if the building is unusable, it cannot serve as hub for emergency supplies and shelter.
- It’s much more expensive to replace an entire building, or buildings, than it is to retrofit existing structures that require upgrades. According to the U.S. Resiliency Council – a national organization devoted to rating building performance in natural disasters – the economic recovery period following a large earthquake is substantially longer if aging structural systems remain in place.
This bond will provide seismic upgrades for existing school facilities to strengthen them against natural disasters.
Why are Security Upgrades Important?
Most of our schools were built decades ago, long before tragic events across the country led to discussions about increased student safety. The bond will provide security upgrades to better protect against intrusions.