FAQ
Why has the board called a bond election?
The district is facing capacity issues in general education, special education, band and vocal, and career and technical programs. District offerings in the area of agriculture, business and technology, family and consumer science, and industrial technology. District enrollment continues to grow and areas such as storage closets and hallways are currently being used to educate students.
What is included in the project that will be funded by the bond?
The following can be addressed through the proposed bond project.
- Special Education
- Career & Technical Education (CTE)
- General Education & District Growth
- Early Childhood Education
- Student Support Services
- College & Distance Learning
The following can be addressed through our activities Cooperative with Lindsay Academy and the use of their facilities.
- Fine Arts
- Competition Gym
* The items listed in red were the top four priorities identified with feedback from district patrons who attended our small group meetings.
How were the project selected and were other options considered?
Other options, such as an entirely new PreK-12 school were considered and studied with this project being selected as the best solution to address all capacity and program issues. The projects were selected to provide the most educational opportunities for the community and to keep the tax burden down.
What is the bond amount that will appear on the ballot?
The bond amount is $15,900,000. The board of education can issue bonds up to, but not exceeding this amount.
How will the bond impact my taxes?
The projected NET TAX LEVY impact is 11 cents per $100 of individual valuation. You can determine your annual tax impact using the following formula:
Individual Valuation X .0011 = Annual Tax Impact
(example: $175,000 x .0011 = $192.50/year)
This is the projected impact for the first year the bond is in place. Initial bond levies almost always go down over time due to refinancing and new valuation coming into the district.
How will the project impact educational opportunities for our students?
The bond project would resolve the academic space issues we currently experience in our PK-12 building.
In 2019 the weight room was moved from our current building to the bus barn to create additional academic space for our students.
In 2022, the school board identified all needs of District 67 due to lack of space in our current facility. Those needs remain the same today as listed above.
The four modular classrooms (two units) located on our playground are a short-term fix, not a long-term solution. They present safety and security concerns.
The number of students traveling between the modular classrooms and the school building between each class ranges from 58 to 127 students. We have 8 class periods per day.
Staff are still teaching in closets and sharing classrooms, even with modular classrooms.
Administrator offices and hallways are consistently used by service providers to complete therapies with students.
The proposed academic building project is 54,000 square feet compared to the current building at 67,000 square feet.
The proposed project would provide ample space for 7-12 students and programs while also providing the classroom space needed for PK-6 students in our current facility.
The 2025-2026 school year was the third consecutive year we declined preschool applications because we are at capacity.
There are families in our district community with no preschool option available due to all four preschool locations in our district at capacity.
The project would allow for the space needed to provide additional course offerings through our partnerships with all three high schools in our district.
We provide special education services for all students in our district from newborn to age 21, which includes all five schools located in our district.
Grants to support programs such as expanding early childhood, equipment for each of our career and technical education programs, and general education are available, however, we do not have the space to use these funds.
Our FFA chapter recently received a 3 star National Chapter rating, less than 1% of the chapters in the nation receive this rating.
Our FFA chapter has been a Nebraska Premier Chapter since 2011, recognized in the top 20 chapters across the state.
Since 2007 the FFA program has produced 100+ state and national FFA degrees.
FCCLA has qualified 27 students for Nationals the past four years.
What is our past, current and projected enrollment?
2018-2019: 274
2019-2020: 270
2020-2021: 265
2021-2022: 274
2022-2023: 286
2023-2024: 290+
How will the current facility be used if the bond passes?
The current facility will be used for PreK-6 education. The building will have space to meet all special education requirements and will have room for future growth.
How would future housing/valuation growth impact current taxpayers?
Any new homes or businesses that are built within district boundaries will increase the overall valuation of the district. New valuation coming into the district will reduce the tax levy impact of the bond on current residents.
Is this the right time to be building with construction cost so high?
Construction experts are including inflationary factors and contingency into the bond price to make sure the project can be built for the amount on the ballot. They have indicated while construction volatility has stabilized, the cost to build will only continue to rise as time goes on. Waiting to address the district’s needs will end up costing more.
District who have failed bonds within the last year are seeing initial project costs increases of 15-20% to run similar bonds in the future.
Are the extra classrooms and program space really necessary?
Special education programs require adequate service as identified in individual education plans. Providing this service in an appropriate space is required by law and not taking steps to do so could result in litigation for the school district. Failure to address capacity issues for general education can result in being forced to do so at a higher cost later or spending tax dollars on temporary fixes such as portable classrooms. Education is evolving toward a focus on preparing students for vocational opportunities after high school in agriculture and trades. Investment in these programs will best prepare our students for their future.
I’ve heard the board offered to sell the existing building to St. Francis. Is this true and what are the details?
The Humphrey Public School Board did have discussions with St. Francis about their interest in purchasing the existing building. There was a lot of speculation on how much the building should be sold for, with some thinking it would be appropriate to give the building to St. Francis for little to no cost. This was not a feasible option as legally it couldn’t be gifted and it would not be fair to all taxpayers. A majority of the Humphrey Public School Board felt that the asking price must be reflective of the additional bond amount needed to add an elementary addition to the new facility. This approach seemed the most logical to establish a price based on construction costs as it would be too difficult to establish a fair market value for the building with little to no market comparisons available. The two boards were not able to come to an agreement for the existing building so the Humphrey Public School Board moved forward with the identified project.
I send my kids to parochial school and already pay taxes to the public school. Why should I have to pay additional taxes to support the bond?
It is recognized that district residents who send their students to parochial school also pay taxes to the public school. We believe a good process has been completed to determined the needs of the public school district for years to come and this investment is required to meet the educational needs of public school and parochial school students (i.e. special education). We also believe this investment will strengthen and benefit students and community members of the school district.
How can I get more information regarding the bond issue?
Information will be available via this website and social media. Informational flyers and brochures will be prepared and will be shared throughout the district. There will also be scheduled community meetings on:
Sunday, January 25th
Humphrey School: 405 South 7th Street
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
The goal is to make sure every voter has access to accurate information prior to receiving their ballot in the mail.
Humphrey Public School Bond