Students (left to right): Elian Salazar, Mason Ronquillo, Leilani Bonillas Armendariz, Anaya Aparicio, Erik Maestas, Adalynn Morneweg, Cydnee Croci, Samantha Cogdell
Linda Lyon, Board President, and Crystle Nehrmeyer, Superintendent
This November, the Oracle School District (OSD) will be asking voters to approve a ballot measure called an Override Continuation (Proposition 481). This is locally supported funding to supplement the basic budget. This will not be a new tax but, rather, a continuation of the tax rate you are already paying.
This locally supported funding helps provide for full-day kindergarten, moderate class sizes, physical education, competitive salaries for teachers (in a very tight labor market), and special programs such as Tech Academy, art, and music.
The Oracle School District is so very fortunate to have enjoyed tremendous community support over the last several years, and the results show. In 2022 the Mountain Vista K-8 School improved from a “C” to a “B” rating based on Arizona’s statewide school assessment. That same year, our Mountain Vista principal won the AZ Rookie Elementary Principal of the Year, and one of our students won the Pinal County Spelling Bee. This year, our Kindergarten Prep program earned a 5-Star rating for program excellence from Quality First, and we are partners with the University of Arizona Pathways Program to train two future teachers. We also have two teachers who are on track to complete their National Board Certification program this year.
In addition to these significant academic and personal development achievements, our students are now learning on a vastly enhanced campus as a result of the $13.2 million bond approved by our voters in 2019. We delivered what was promised, and the result is a safer, more secure campus that enhances student learning. We are currently planning an open house in October and hope you’ll come see for yourself (more details to come).
As grateful as we are for the bond funding, however, it did not fix all that needed to be repaired and updated on our aging campus. So, our staff worked hard to cultivate relationships and justify need with the Arizona School Facilities Board and other government funding sources for facility and equipment improvements such as new roofing systems, ADA-compliant gymnasium bleachers, and an intercom system for safety. It has been well worth the effort, with over $600,000 garnered in grant funding over the past five years.
The Oracle School District celebrates its small town roots while promoting global expectations for our students. As in many rural schools, Mountain Vista K-8 School is important not only as a school, but as the hub of the community for many in Oracle. For both Oracle and the surrounding communities, a healthy school district is important to property values for all homeowners. Increased pride, lower crime rates, increased stability, and more attractiveness for development all result from good schools. To learn more about the Override Continuation, please visit the Oracle School District website www.osd2.org.