New bond will improve MPS schools

On May 5, Monroe voters will be deciding on a $1.5 million bond focused on improving bathrooms, electrical, heating and security systems within the Monroe Public Schools district. The bond will remain on the ballot despite pressure to postpone the election, according to a Monroe News article published April 5. Voters are able to vote with an absentee ballot, which were mailed home to every registered voter.

The bond was proposed by the MPS Board of Education, led by Superintendent Dr. Julie Everly, after multiple facility assessments and community surveys revealed what was most wanted and needed in the aging facilities of local schools.

Dr. Every stresses that because the average school in Monroe is 64 years old, and the most recently built school, Monroe High School, is 45 years old, many of the core functions that worked in the past simply don’t work as well as they used to and deserve improvement.

“At Monroe High, students would see improvements over the course of several years. In fact, Monroe High contains the most extensive projects in the bond. We have two main focuses in improving our High School: security and heating, which would make our school safer and more comfortable for students,” Everly says.

If voters approve of the bond, MPS will focus on updates to the heating and cooling system throughout the district. At Monroe High School, this means replacing the 45-year old boiler system and putting air conditioning into the gym. In addition, the district plans on completely remodeling the restrooms in every school- installing new floors, walls, mirrors, ceilings, toilets, urinals, and sinks.

“I’m very unsatisfied with the current state of our bathrooms at Monroe High- the floor is always wet,” says junior Parker Johnson.

“If the school can use this money to fix the bathrooms, I’d be very happy,” Johnson says.

To deal with concerns about security, the district will install new vestibules in every school to ensure that anybody entering the school gains appropriate access before entering the building.

Finally, the district plans on renovating its fire alarm system- installing new alarms and providing a new mass address PA system for parents who send their children to Monroe Public Schools.