Today's Oxford Schools Vote "Yes" Is Essential For Future

Oxford residents get a chance to cast their votes on Tuesday on the $38 million Oxford School District bond referendum. The money is designated for a new elementary school as well as additions and restorations to existing school campuses.
This past summer, the district held community meetings to allow residents within the school district to give input on the referendum. The Oxford School District Board of Trustees took the feedback from these meetings and decided to put a bond referendum vote before Oxford residents.
The district says the new elementary school is needed to accommodate the growing population of students, allowing for expansion of pre-school programs, too. Additionally, this bond referendum will help pay for improvements to both Bramlett Elementary School and Oxford Middle School, build a new Oxford High School Baseball and Softball complex, and build a new fine arts building at Oxford Intermediate School and Oxford High School.
Oxford School Board Superintendent Brian Harvey says many students will benefit if enough people vote yes.
“Passage of this bond referendum will allow us to continue to plan for growth and help us provide better spaces for fine arts education, as well as provide modern space for our students with disabilities,” he said. “The new elementary school will allow for us to have physical space to expand pre-K education, and the addition of the fine arts building at Oxford High School will allow for us to expand our career and technical offerings as well as additional academic space. All of these represent the things that make this community a special place to live.”
If passed, homes valued at $100K would see an increase of approximately $38 per year in property taxes.
Betsy Smith, chairman of Oxford’s Kids Campaign, has two big reasons to support the bonds.
“As a parent of three children in the school district, I know I have to pinch myself some days when I think about how fortunate we are to be able to send our kids to such extraordinary schools for free,” Smith said. “Our strong public school system is such a vital part of our thriving community, and as a business owner and mom, I see the positive effect our schools have on this wonderful town.”
Voting will be held at the Oxford Conference Center located at 102 Ed Perry Boulevard in Oxford on Tuesday, September 26. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To find out more information about the Oxford School District or the bond referendum visit www.oxfordsd.org.
To learn more about the “Oxford’s Kids Campaign,” visit www.oxfordskids.com.
Story contributed by Meek School of Journalism & New Media graduate student Pepper Taylor, pdtaylor@go.olemiss.edu.