Mountain Vista Elementary School
Ron Green, Focus on the Future Committee
This November, Arizona/Pinal County will have a mail-in only election, and ballots will be delivered in early October.
We would like to provide you information on two propositions that will be on the ballot. Propositions 438 and 439 both support important and necessary funding for the Oracle School District’s Mountain Vista Elementary School.
Proposition 438 approves the continuation of taxes already in place. It also helps ensure we can maintain appropriate class sizes, along with music, art, tech academy, and physical education programs.
Proposition 439 approves the issue of bonds to fund critical and necessary infrastructure projects supporting health, safety, educational enhancements, and efficiencies.
There has been much work done on the purpose and need for proposition 439. Below is a summary of the work that was done and due diligence taken.
Mountain Vista Elementary School in Oracle Arizona has structural and health and safety issues, which impact students’ learning and educational environment.
The Oracle School District Governing Board appointed an advisory committee to begin a full analysis on a capital improvement plan. The advisory committee included teachers, residents of Oracle, SaddleBrooke, and SaddleBrooke Ranch. The committee convened in February 2018 to begin their in-depth review.
The committee collaborated and agreed that a focus would be on the “absolutes,” those areas that must be accomplished under the following criteria: improvements to conditions that impact the health and safety of the children and staff—including necessary upgrades for American with Disabilities Act-compliant standards—and enhance the student’s learning and educational environment.
Mountain Vista campus has several significant challenges that must be addressed, which include a classroom building constructed in 1964 that has several structural issues: asbestos ceiling tiles are present, the structure does not meet current school facility standards, and due to low, wrap-around glass windows, the school cannot be secured in the event of an active shooter situation. Kitchen equipment, such as walk-in refrigerators and freezers, are more than 20 years old, and with breakdowns increasing, parts can no longer be obtained. Tutoring and training space is insufficient and needs to be increased by enlarging the current library for improved student learning and education. Several buses with an average of 300,000 miles need to be replaced, and the parking lot needs to be reconfigured to ensure student safety, which is at risk with the current configuration.
The advisory committee presented their recommendations to the District Governing Board in March 2019, which then reviewed, accepted, and approved the recommendations of the committee. This approval included the district seeking voter approval for a class B bond in the November 2019 election to raise $13.2 million to fund these vital infrastructure needs.
Thank you for your time and support.