Residents of Harrisburg to vote on $60M bond for new schools

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - People in the Harrisburg School District will vote on a $60 million bond next month. If passed it would pave the way for a new middle school and a freshman academy.

Harrisburg School District Superintendent Tim Graf says the middle schools are already over overcrowded. That will impact the high school building in a few years.

“Current enrollment in grades six, seven, eight, and nine is greater than 1,700, it’s 1,719 in those four grades and that’s above the 1,650 capacity of the current high school,” said Graf.

Along with the need for more room in the schools, Graf says this bond with help further the development of their community.

“One thing you see is when schools are built, development happens around those schools, schools are oftentimes drivers for the developments and developers,” said Graf.

School board chairperson Linda Heerde says due to the rapid growth of the city, the mill levy or property tax are not expected to increase.

“During all my time on the board, as well as previous years prior to my board role we kept our mill levy in our district the same,” said Heerde.

The school board and district encourage those in the Harrisburg community to vote, so the school district knows what they want.

“We really hope folks come out and vote, it’s important for their voices to be heard and we know we have to have a place to put the kids,” said Graf.

The vote will be held on June 1st for more information click here.

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