SHELDON, Iowa (KCAU) – The Sheldon High School is overdue for a refurbishment, and come this November, the community will decide whether or not to move forward with a bond measure aimed at bettering the learning experience.

“As much as anything we want to offer a first-class environment, first-class educational experience to all of our students and we feel like this is our opportunity to do that,” Sheldon High School Assistant Principal Eric Maassen said.

“The building is 54 years old, its been a tremendous asset to our school district for a long long time but its aged, and it’s time to do some expanding and renovating the existing facilities,” Sheldon Community School District Superintendent Cory Myer said.

A $33 million construction project for the Sheldon High School will be on the ballot come November. Superintendent Cory Myer explains what the school needs to revamp.

“We’d be renovating and expanding on our current industrial tech space. We would have new band and choir facilities, our existing ones are not handicap accessible so we want to make sure we’re inclusive. We’d be expanding our science department,” Myer said.

More space is needed to accommodate every student at the high school.

“If you look at the spacing issues as much as anything, that’s what we’re struggling with. You know, we’re teaching classes in the library, we’re teaching a class in the auditorium right now,” Maassen said.

Superintendent Myer explains how the bond would be funded and how the project would impact Sheldon’s property tax.

“The total project is about $33 million. Of that, $19.16 (million) would come from the GO bond. The other portion would come from save funds, district save funds that we would be able to contribute to over time. The property tax implications would be $2.47 per thousand,” Myer said.

60% support is needed for the bond measure to pass.

“The community feedback we’ve received has been very positive. A lot of the community has said, you know, we know that building is almost 55 years old. Very little has been done as far as the infrastructure of those facilities,” Myer said.

Superintendent Myer said if the bond is passed, he expects the project to be complete in three years.