Ash Grove's district-wide proposed school bond aims to improve security and student safety

In just two weeks, voters in the Ash Grove School District will decide on an $800,000 bond that will improve security and student safety.

Signs urging people in Ash Grove and Bois D'Arc to vote yes for a school bond on April 3rd are visible in both towns.

The proposed $800,000 bond, known as Proposition 2 on the ballot, will improve security inside and outside all of the district's school buildings.

"Overall the bond issue is going to be about 14 different projects and probably 75 percent of them all focus on safety and security," district Superintendent Dr. Aaron Gerla told KY3.

And better protecting the district's 800 students and faculty would come without a tax increase.

"Your people, your district, want to be able to trust that you have their best interest with their money. In this case we are protecting our kids. It's safety and security issues and there is no tax increase. It's a win-win situation for everybody and it's a lot of things that needed to get done and now is the time to do it," Dr. Gerla added.

He stresses that new security systems will allow staff to know who is in a particular building.

"We need limited access points where people can come through. Making sure you know who is in your building at all times and making sure that when they're in the building, they're in the right places in the building and that they are identified correctly," Dr. Gerla said.

And it'll pay for more secure internal-door locks.

"Every school needs to be able to have safety on the outside but once somebody is in the building, they need to be able to lock off as well."

With just two weeks before the election, Dr. Gerla urges folks to get out and vote.

"Even if you support this, we need your vote. We need people to come out and vote. It doesn't do anybody any good to say that's a great thing, but then not vote."