RUSK COUNTY, Texas — West Rusk CCISD is holding a $26.4 million bond election during this Saturday's election that seeks to fund improvements at the elementary campus and build a new band hall.
According to the school district, the proposition to improve the elementary school costs $22.8 million, while the band hall proposal is about $3.6 million.
West Rusk Elementary hasn't had a campus-wide improvement since it was built in 1935, the school district said. If approved, the elementary campus will have the latest in safety and security additions as well as a storm shelter that can withstand winds of up to 250 mph.
This new facility would have five kindergarten classrooms, five first grade classrooms, five second grade classrooms, a computer lab, a reading intervention classroom, a science project room, a literacy room, a ready bodies motor lab, an English as a Second Language classroom, a resource classroom, a music classroom and storage room and a multi-purpose gym.
If approved, the new band hall, which is for sixth through 12th graders, will include a rehearsal hall, instrument storage, ensemble room, administrative offices and easy access to the football stadium for games and practices. The current band hall will be used for splitting bands into varsity and junior varsity levels for concert season.
West Rusk CISD said if the whole bond proposal was approved, it would raise the tax rate from $0.32 to $0.4785.
Early voting concludes Tuesday, April 30. Voting will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday at the West Rusk Administration Building, located at 10705 S. Main St. in New London, and the Rusk County Elections Office, located at 204 N. Main Street in Henderson.