The Wayland Union High Schools’ Robotics team this weekend is competing in the state contest at Grand Valley State University, placing third at the end of the first day.
The Wildcats’ group No. 6090 was a national quarterfinalist and proponents of the May 2 bond proposal are highlighting this program’s success as one of the benefactors of passage of bond in the special election Tuesday, May 2.
A School Bond Committee spokesperson said, “Many STEM courses are offered to students as part of the curriculum at Wayland, and students have the opportunity to further this knowledge in after-school programs such as robotics. We know that opportunities that can lead to careers in the fields of industrial technology are so important for our students’ futures.”
School officials say funding from a “yes” vote on the $49.7 million proposal will provide funding so that students in this robotics program “can have the necessary, dedicated space in the high school that they haven’t had before.”
Meanwhile, Wayland schools’ bond informational pamphlets are being distributed to local businesses for customers to see.
The current choir room is also a space that has grown inadequate for the modern high school choral program — no air conditioning or windows and not enough space to spread out, store uniforms and supplies, and practice.
A yes vote would allow the district to remodel the current band room so the choir program can move into that larger space.
These proposed improvements are just some of the plans intended to extend the life and improve functionality of school buildings, enabling them to continue serving our community and students well into the future.
The Wayland Union May 2 bond will provide funding to renovate areas in all district buildings, not just the high school! This includes:
• Updated furnishings and technology in all buildings.
• Updated restroom facilities to meet ADA compliance for differently-abled students, staff and families (Pine, Baker, Dorr, Steeby)
• Middle School roof repairs/replacement and window and exterior door replacement in the older wings.
• Updated windows and doors for better safety and security.
• Expanded community room at the administration building for school and community needs and a growing senior citizen Leisure Life program.
The spokesperson added, “Our goal is to keep all students safe, warm and dry. All projects would result in district educational spaces that develop, support, challenge, and inspire students to be lifelong learners and productive citizens – with zero mills = no increase to school tax payments of 8.4 mills per year. Approving the bond would result instead in lengthening the period the bond would be applied.
Residents are reminded they have the option of voting by mail, in addition to showing up in person at their local clerk’s office or designated polling site.
Hi Town Broadcast! Thank you so much for sharing this important information about the May 2 bond. Just a point of clarification, the information you quote is put out by the Wayland Bond Committee. the Wayland Bond Committee is a volunteer group of parents and other community members working to inform and persuade the community to vote yes. We are a registered non-profit and the group behind the Wayland Bond Committee facebook page. Although we work with the district to ensure we have the most accurate and transparent information possible, we are not speaking for the school district when we say vote yes. As an independent group, our goal is to persuade the community. The district is not permitted to put out messaging on HOW citizens should vote. However, the school district IS permitted to inform about the bond and the vote and they do so via their own social media and information channels.
Sure….. try anything to get it to pass. Almost sounds like the comedian zelensky came up with this. My opinion.
Deep Thoughts of profound substance by David. Let’s say you have Wayland Union Schools’ best interests at heart: How does not passing this bond help our schools?
It is my contention that after seven years of toxic anti-intellectual political rhetoric, a good portion of people on the right are simply “anti-education” at this point and actively want to harm public schools out of spite, which I believe is what we are witnessing here in Wayland.
The arguments against the Wayland community supporting its local schools through this bond are irrational. It is my understanding that when a school district sees its community abandon its financial support by letting its bond expire (6 years from now for WUS, I believe) that district is free to redraw its boundaries. If our Wayland community abandons its school, the school needs to consider redrawing its district to those who will support Wayland Union Schools.
I have heard it all before.
Please have a wonderful day
Your car will wear out. Your household appliances will wear out. Your lawn mower will wear out. Your roof will wear out. Equipment for a school pool WILL WEAR OUT.
A responsible individual/ family will budget for the necessary replacement of these items.
Why pray tell is it not possible for a school system to anticipate and budget for these items if they are so critical?
Well you will say nobody can afford to pay cash for a new whatever. You are right, but did you ever consider the fact that the nonstop begging/ badgering for more money from our schools doesn’t help family budgets?
Whatever happened to all the money bestowed upon the Wayland school district annually by the casino? Probably would have gone a long way to cover these luxuries.
If all you school board members haven’t noticed inflation brought on by the current administration has already taken a huge bite out of the family budgets not mention our ex govonors brilliant energy policies and on & on.
I personally feel what is currently being asked for is totally ridiculous and selfish considering the present strain being placed upon residents budgets. Maybe you should attend a workshop on school district responsible economics or school district budgeting. I would be more than happy to fund that, but if it produced positive results.
Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely no problem funding our school districts but I am getting DANG SICK AND TIRED of paying for all of the nonessential “fluff” that seems to go along with today’s idea of education.
Get back to the basics. Give our kids a decent education!
Just saying.
I am a public school employee and well versed in school funding. To clear up some of your misinformation, It is impossible and actually illegal for schools to save up for this kind of large-scale infrastructure. Unlike homeowners, schools do not have the option to stockpile funds. They are charged, rightfully so, with spending their yearly tax and foundational grant monies on educating students. They can save a certain percentage in their “sinking fund” for smaller-scale repairs, but that is it. The state of Michigan has determined that bond issues are EXACTLY the vehicle with which school districts fund larger building and infrastructure expenses. If you go to either the district website (Waylandunion.org) or the bond committee website (waylandunionbond.com) you would learn from the FAQs on the bond that 5% of the overall budget is from the Casino revenue sharing and that money is allocated to specific educational programs every year as well as payments on past smaller-scale construction projects like the new science wing. The district also shares their 10-year financial plan for large projects, so anyone who wishes to can be informed on exactly HOW the school is planning out years into the future. But Bond funds must be part of that plan.
In terms of the “family budget”, a 0-mill bond that won’t raise our school tax payments higher than what we’ve been paying since 2014.
In my opinion the selfish thing is to think only on what our own households happen to personally prefer rather than thinking about what the 2000+ students in Wayland Union schools need. The selfish thing is to insist our school buildings offer LESS under our watch than they did when our parents and grandparents voted in 1974 to construct the high school with (then) state of the art industrial tech and pool. It is our patriotic duty to value this investment of past generations and provide for our own community’s schools and students. Just sayin’
Thank you Erin S. For setting the record straight, I’m afraid Mr farm boy is just another victim of the illusionary truth effect. Especially the comments on inflation I guess he’s never heard of GREED. If he would bother looking into how much companies and CEO are racking in the profits it’s beyond the government control.