Hermosa school bond measure to be on November ballot
If a $54 million bond measure is approved in November, the Hermosa Beach City School District will reopen North School and modernize all three of its campuses.
Photo by Ryah Cooley, staff.
A $54 million school bond measure to fund the reopening of North School and upgrades for Hermosa Valley and Hermosa View schools will be placed on the November 4, general election ballot.
The school board approved the bond measure unanimously at its Wednesday meeting. The primary purpose of the bond and the reason for reopening North School is to alleviate overcrowding, which is in line with a new long-range facilities master plan the board adopted last month.
But proceeds will also be used to upgrade academic technology services and for new roofs, electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning at all three schools.
Bond approval requires support from 55 percent of voters. The district estimates that the bond would cost property owners 2.95 cents per $100 of assessed property value per year for up to 25 years.
Superintendent Patricia Escalante said if the bond passes, the district will seek feedback from the community to help decide the specifics of how the bond money will be spent.
“Tonight the board has voted to move forward in its next phase of meeting the needs of the children of Hermosa Beach,” Escalante said. “We’re positive the community will support the needs we’ve introduced them to.”
In 1950, Hermosa Beach had six schools for its 1,430 students. Today it has just two schools for roughly the same number of students. Portable buildings and the multipurpose room are being used as classrooms at Hermosa Valley School, which accommodates the third through eighth grades. To free up still more classroom space, the district offices are being moved from Hermosa Valley School to a city-owned building at South Park.