Bond

TEAM Riverside voters will be asked to vote on Proposition No. 2: Bonds to Construct, Renovate, and Improve School Facilities on the special election ballot on February 13, 2024. Please click on each link below for information about the Bond:
- Bond Facts and Figures
- Bond Projects, Costs, and State Matching Funds
- List of Bond Projects
- Costs by Year and Month
- Election and Voter Information
- Bond Flyer
- 5 Facts About the Bond
- Bond Resolution
Facilities Advisory Committee Recommends Running a Bond in February 2024
The Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC), comprised of parents and community members, spent two years studying 5 and 10-year student enrollment forecasts, facilities audits (ages, conditions, eligibility for state matching funds, and programmatic needs at each school), the results of 440 executive-style phone surveys, and feedback from students, staff, families, and our community (Town Halls, webinars, Thought Exchanges, surveys, focus groups, staff meetings...). Their goal was to ensure our District remains good stewards of our taxpayer dollars by taking care of our current investments, while also addressing important facility needs for students, staff, and community.
In June 2023, the FAC presented a recommendation to the Board of Directors to run a Bond in February 2024 to address the following priorities: renovating and expanding Chattaroy Elementary, renovating Riverside Elementary, Riverside High, Independent Scholars Program, and the Riverside Early Learning Center, and completing the renovation of Riverside Middle.
See the FULL LIST OF PROJECT COSTS BY BUILDING.
You may also check out a more concise list of projects below:
Chattaroy Elementary Updates and Improvements
Capacity: add six classrooms to bring 5th grade back to the school and accommodate future growth
Safety updates: single, secure entryway, parking lot circulation and lighting updates, fire system update
Updates and improvements: updated kitchen and expanded cafeteria, music room
Building system updates: heating and cooling system, floors, ceiling, lighting
$11,946,434 BOND FUNDING + $5,600,566 EXPECTED STATE MATCH = TOTAL $17,550,000
Riverside Early Learning Center
Safety updates: ADA accessibility, updated restrooms, and parent pickup area improvements
Update building systems: water heater, heating and cooling systems
$470,000 BOND FUNDING
Riverside Elementary Renovations and Improvements
Safety updates: single, secure entryway; renovate and update classrooms to replace annex (outdated portables); replace fire sprinkler system
Building system updates: heating and cooling, secure doors and windows, flooring, roof
$15,954,254 BOND FUNDING + $5,145,756 EXPECTED STATE MATCH = TOTAL $21,100,000
Riverside High School Renovations and Improvements
Safety updates: single, secure entryway; parking lot and lighting updates; secure doors and windows
Updates and improvements: kitchen and expanded cafeteria/commons/performing arts venue; add an auxiliary gym with seating for 250; resurface the track; update classrooms, library, science labs, vocational shops, weightroom, locker rooms, and fitness center
Building system updates: heating and cooling, lighting, ceilings, flooring, and lockers
$23,140,055 BOND FUNDING + $9,856,945 EXPECTED STATE MATCH = TOTAL $33,000,000
Riverside Independent Scholar Program (ISP)
Safety updates: single, secure entryway; parking lot and lighting updates; secure doors and windows
Classroom updates: lighting, flooring, furniture, ceilings, windows, and multipurpose room
Building system updates: heating and cooling, paint, flooring
$1,920,000 BOND FUNDING
Riverside Middle School Construction Completion
Building system updates: heating and cooling, lighting, flooring, plumbing, sprinkler, roof
Construction completion: full kitchen; renovate 1983 wing with updated classrooms and lockers
Career and Technical Education: update science and career and technical education labs and classrooms
$15,500,000 BOND FUNDING
Security and Instructional Technology
Safety and security system updates: door locks, badge system, security cameras, emergency communications services
Student, staff and classroom technology
$4,000,000 BOND FUNDING ($400,000 YEARLY FOR 10 YEARS)
Bond - The WHY
With a vision of becoming the best rural school district in the region, our district has asked to secure a bond for the purpose of constructing, renovating, and improving all of our school facilities. This monumental endeavor (first bond in 25 years) signifies a commitment to our students' growth and a deep-seated dedication to the future vitality of our community.
Sample Cafetorium at RHS Case Study - East Helena HS
At the core of this initiative is the understanding that the physical environment in which education takes place plays a pivotal role in shaping our students' minds, hearts, and spirits. TEAM Riverside recognizes that our students' potential is unlocked not only through dedicated teachers and rich content, but also through the quality and functionality of the spaces in which they learn, grow, and explore. As such, this bond campaign is poised to make a lasting impact on every student in every school for decades to come.
Sample Classroom Addition at CES Case Study - Stevens Creek Elementary
Sample 2nd Gym at RHS Case Study - Selah HS
Bond - How Much Does it Cost?
The Bond tax rate is $2.05/$1,000 of assessed property value. Our existing Capital Levy, approved in February 2022 at a rate of $0.63/$1,000, will expire in 2024. To determine the increase in your taxes, we subtract the $0.63 from $2.05 to get the increase of $1.42/$1,000. The chart below describes four different home values multiplied by $1.42 to determine your increased cost per year and cost per month. If your home value is different than those listed below, simply multiply your home value by $1.42.
