Kiefer School Bond Issue Up For Vote In April 5 Election

Voters will take to the polls next week to vote on a $29 million school bond issue in Kiefer. The district said this is replacing an outgoing bond and will not raise taxes. Kiefer Public Schools Superintendent Randy Shaw said the school district is seeing rapid growth.

"If this doesn't pass we're going to be in a situation where we're not going to have enough classrooms for our growth," he said.

Shaw said it's a 20-year bond issue that would allow many upgrades, including renovation to the old unused high school building, a multi-use sports complex, and work to the baseball and softball fields. He said they need these updates to keep the school competitive with surrounding areas.

"Our programs will be behind, we don't have an Ag room, or an Ag building, they are in classroom at the high school. It shortchanges those students," Shaw said.

School board member Eric Watson graduated from Kiefer in 2003 with 25 other classmates. He said the grade size is now about 70 kids.

"Kiefer is growing that quick, and we're not stopping, the growth of South Tulsa moving down here, that's going to bring in more students, going to bring in more to the district itself," he said.

He said this bond issue is important to make sure that Kiefer Public Schools can continue to thrive.

"The fact that we are able to do this, and have the opportunity to allow our school to grow, it means so much to me," Watson said.

The election will be held April 5. If the bond issue passes, construction on the projects will begin in August and are expected to last two years.