HINTON, Iowa (KCAU) – Like many Siouxland school districts, Hinton Community Schools are asking voters to approve a $16 million school bond aimed at expanding and renovating the elementary, middle, and high school buildings. 

“What that’s going to entail is four classrooms down at the elementary, a new gymnasium that will be built in between the wellness center and the current gym. We’re also looking at having a new entryway from the west with more parking and a loop there,” Hinton Superintendent Ken Slater said.

“Being an employee of the district and having my own kids in the district, I’m very much for the bond,” Instructional Coach at Hinton schools Melissa Wurth said.

“A lot of times, in the past at least, we’ve had school bond elections where a lot of people didn’t know what the specifics were and they were just anti-whatever, you know. They just didn’t want their taxes to be raised. And so I think it’s really important to have the information out in front of the people. I think it’s a great idea,” Bruce Held, who has six grandchildren in Hinton’s schools said.

A major concern for staff and parents is the school’s outdated air conditioning system.

“I know it’s one of the first things they want to tackle and just from teaching in those classrooms upstairs, they are very very hot and then you walk a hallway and you go down two more classrooms and it may be freezing cold. There’s a lot of inconsistencies,” Wurth said.

“It’s the climate in here. She doesn’t know how to dress. One day it could be 80 degrees in our classroom. The next day it could be like 65. It’s just an old system,” Hinton Superintendent Secretary Val Kovarna said about her daughter who attends school at Hinton.

Come November, folks will have four questions to answer at the ballot box. More than 60% of voters must be in favor of the $16 million school bond. They would also need to approve a $1.60 Increase to the maximum debt levy. The final two questions involve sustaining relevant school infrastructure and education quality.

“You can see wear and tear. They do the best they can to keep it updated, but when a building is as old as ours is, it’s time. We need an update. We need to do that for our children,” Kovarna said.

The Hinton Community School District will hold another open house on October 26. Iowans will be able to participate in early voting starting Wednesday, October 18.