2024 Bond Proposal Thank You Voters!

Avondale School District will extend the current tax rate for the entirety of the bond, which will not require any tax rate increase to complete the projects.

Every project in the bond proposal has been reviewed and approved by the Michigan Department of Treasury. All renovations and upgrades must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state building codes. Bond proposal funds must be used only for purposes specified in the ballot language, and as required by state law, they must be independently audited annually.

Research indicates that real estate values tend to be higher in communities with school districts that are perceived to offer a quality educational program and have up-to-date school facilities. 

All Avondale School District bond proposal projects are designed to reflect positively on homeowner property values and the school district’s commitment to effectiveness and efficiency.

Yes. All proposed bond projects will be completed through revenue received from the bond proposal.

In early 2023, Avondale School District administrative staff completed an internal review of all school facilities as part of the school district’s strategic plan. Meetings with building-level staff members and parents and guardians representing all schools were held to garner their input as well. 

School officials then worked with architectural and construction management specialists to determine short- and long-term facility needs and to identify bond proposal projects based upon the input they had gathered. Identified projects were grouped into six categories: 

• Enhancing safety and security
• Improving the instructional space
• Enhancing arts and athletics
• Improving infrastructure and school sites
• Enhancing instructional technology
• Expanding opportunities for young learners through the construction of an Early Childhood Center.

Following the development of the initial bond proposal projects, a series of focus panels were conducted to garner additional feedback from community members, parents and guardians, staff, and students. 

The school district also sought community and staff input through an online survey. All staff and community members were invited to participate in the survey and express their opinions about the proposed bond proposal projects. 

After all this information was reviewed, the project list was finalized. The project costs were identified, and an application to the Michigan Department of Treasury was submitted for review and approval. The Board of Education set the election after receiving approval of the bond application from the Michigan Department of Treasury.

Safety measures will be enhanced at all school sites. Enhancements include upgrading the emergency alert system, replacing the fire alarm system and PA systems, updating card access systems, adding additional security cameras, upgrading interior and exterior lighting, and upgrading the secure entry vestibule at Avondale High School.

Facility updates will be completed at all schools and facilities operated by the Avondale School District. Updates will include modernizing classrooms and instructional spaces, updating fine arts and theater spaces, updating playgrounds and athletic spaces, renovating and upgrading the Robotics space, and upgrading instructional technology. 

In addition, a new Early Childhood Center will be constructed on an existing school property at the corner of Squirrel and Waukegan. This site will provide a space specific to young learners and would include up to 20 classrooms, auxiliary spaces, and a new playground.

Updates for the arts at the high school will include updating the theater, including replacing the house lighting, installing a wired data network for lighting control, replacing the audio system, adding LED lighting fixtures, adding rigging controls and hoists, replacing follow/spot fixtures, and improving the HVAC system in the Scene Shop. In addition, updates to the art room will include replacing the casework, kiln, and sinks. 

At the middle school, updates for the arts will include replacing the stage floor, improving stage lighting, adding a projection screen on the stage, and adding two dressing rooms by the stage.

Updates for athletics will include updating and replacing playground equipment at all elementary schools. 

At the middle school, athletic updates include replacing the scoreboard and lighting at the football field, adding turf to the football field, improving the concession stand, renovating the basketball area, and updating gym lighting. 

At the high school, updates include track replacements, replacing nettings for our baseball and softball fields, lighting upgrades throughout the complex, upgrading tennis courts and upgrading the scoreboards in the gyms/stadium.

Avondale School District has a technology replacement plan that is updated annually. Based on the annual “needs assessment,” the replacement of student devices is on a five- year cycle. 

The May 7 bond proposal will provide funds to update the technology infrastructure and instructional technology tools throughout the district. The Michigan Department of Treasury and federal tax regulations require that specific items in a bond proposal be paid for before they become obsolete. For example, computers must be paid off within five years of their first use.

From the on-set of identifying building improvements and enhancements, staff members in all schools have had opportunities to provide input including early planning meetings, focus panel discussions, and a community and staff survey.

The last bond proposal approved by Avondale School District voters was in 2017. All projects completed through the 2017 bond proposal were completed on time and within budget.

2017 Bond Information

Avondale School District officials are sharing information about the bond proposal through community meetings, direct mailings, social media, the school district website, and the news media. To view a complete list of bond projects and learn more about the bond proposal, view the summary of projects section on this page. 

A bond is a State-approved funding process for a set scope of projects. When voters approve a bond proposal, the school district sells bonds in the authorized amount and uses the bond sale proceeds to pay for those projects in the bond proposal. Bonds are typically set up to be paid back in 20-30 years. 

In many ways, the bonding process is like a homeowner obtaining a mortgage and making payments over a period of years. The Avondale School District's no-tax-rate increase bond proposal length is 25 years. 

Bonds can be used for: 

• Constructing new school buildings
• Constructing additions to existing school buildings
• Remodeling existing school buildings
• Energy conservation improvements
• Land purchases
• Site development and improvements
• Athletic and physical education facility development and improvements
• Playground development and improvements
• Refunding debt (if new present value savings can be demonstrated)
• Direct bond program costs such as professional fees, election fees, issuance costs, qualification fees, insurance fees, final audit costs
• School bus purchases
• Purchasing loose furnishings and equipment (including administrative technology)
• Technology purchases are limited to hardware and communication devices that transmit, receive or compute information for pupil instructional purposes only. The initial purchase of operating systems and customized application software is allowed if purchased with the initial hardware.

 Bonds cannot be used for: 

• Salaries, service contracts, lease payments, installment contracts, and supplies
• Repairs, maintenance, or maintenance agreements
• Purchasing automobiles, trucks, or vans
• Portable classrooms purchased for temporary use
• Uniforms
• Textbooks
• Upgrades to an existing computer operating system or application software
• Computer training, computer consulting, or computer maintenance contracts

No. Bond proposal funds cannot be used for employee salaries. They also cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses. Bond proposal funds must be used only for purposes specified in the ballot language, and as required by state law, they must be independently audited.

Here is the exact ballot wording:

Exhibit A
Avondale School District
County of Oakland, State of Michigan

School Improvement Bond Proposition

Shall the Avondale School District, County of Oak.land, State of Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed One Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($150,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds, in one or more series, to pay the cost of the following projects to create a modem learning environment for students and for health, safety, security, energy conservation and other purposes:

• Erecting, completing, equipping and furnishing a new early childhood center;
• Erecting an addition to R. Grant Graham Elementary School and remodeling, equipping and reequipping. furnishing: and refurnishing school buildings and additions, including for modernizing instructional, fine arts and theater spaces, playgrounds and other facilities and erecting, equipping and furnishing a transportation maintenance facility;
• Acquiring, preparing, developing and improving sites for school buildings, including athletic fields, playgrounds and other facilities and the purchase of school buses;
• Acquiring and installing: technology equipment and technology infrastructure, including for health, safety and security, in school buildings and other facilities?

YES

NO 

The annual debt millage required to retire all bonds of the School District currently outstanding and proposed pursuant to this ballot is expected to remain at or below 7.30 mills which is an estimated -0- mill increase from the debt millage levied in 2024. The estimated millage that will be levied to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 1.37 mills ($1.37 per $1,000 of taxable value) and the estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire each series of the bonds is 4.19 mills annually ($4.19 per $1,000 of taxable value). The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than twenty-five (25) years.

If Approved by the voters, the repayment of the bonds will be guaranteed by the State under the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program (the "Program"). The School District currently has $64,625,000 of qualified bonds outstanding and $0 of qualified loans outstanding under the Program. The School District does not expect to borrow from the Program to pay debt service on these bonds. The estimated computed millage rate required to be levied to pay the proposed bonds may change in the future based on changes in certain circumstances

(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited, and the proceeds cannot be used for teacher, administrator or employee salaries, repair or maintenance costs or other operating expenses.)

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Yes. Voters who support the Avondale School District no-tax-rate increase bond proposal should vote YES; voters who oppose the bond proposal should vote NO.

The bond projects cannot be completed as proposed.

Residents of Avondale School District who will be 18 years of age or older on Election Day and are registered to vote can vote in this election.

Go to the Michigan Voter Information website or call your local clerk’s office.

You need to update your voter registration if you have changed your name or address since the last time you voted. You can do this at any Secretary of State Office or your local clerk’s office.

Yes. Registered voters do not need a reason to vote by absentee ballot. You can request an absentee ballot application from your clerk’s office or by going online to Michigan Voter Information website and clicking on Absentee Voting in the left column. 

Absentee ballots will be available to voters after March 28 and can be cast through Election Day.

Contact Dr. James Schwarz, Superintendent 
Phone: 248.537.6000
Email: james.schwarz@avondaleschools.org

Yes. Members of the community are invited to participate in a brief survey about the bond. To view and complete the survey, please visit No-Tax-Rate Increase Bond Proposal Survey. The community can also send input through email at avondale.bond@avondaleschools.org.

A summary of the projects to be completed at each school can be found above in the “Summary of Projects” section on this page.