Bond 2020

Dear Parents & Community Members,

“Godwin Heights Public Schools has a long history of supporting and delivering superior educational opportunities. As our community knows from the thousands of students who have attended and graduated from Godwin, our efforts to provide the needed services to prepare and keep our students competitive have been lauded by private and public entities again and again.”

In 2015, I wrote the above introduction to you in regards to a bond proposal that brought $13.4 million to our community to upgrade, enhance and positively alter the facilities and infrastructure of Godwin Heights. Your continued support allows us to offer the excellence in education that is expected with a foundation in safety, security, and enhancements that improves every aspect of delivering quality educational services and extracurricular activities. In my daily travels throughout our district, I am reminded of the gift of support that allowed our vision to come to reality. 

Today I write to you on what would be the "second phase" of that vision. On Tuesday, May 5, 2020, Godwin Heights Public Schools will be asking voters to vote on a bond that will bring in close to $14 Million dollars to support heating and cooling, including the controls to monitor and adjust air temperatures, as well as major architectural/structural improvements and technological and transportation improvements. As with our last bond, there will be no estimated millage increase. This bond will not increase our current millage debt levy. We will be able to accomplish these “phase two” improvements with an extension of our current millage rates.  

The decision for Godwin community voters to make on May 5th will affect every student and every school for the generation.  Projects the bond dollars will be used for are:

• New Carpet and Corridor Restoration
• Window and Exterior Door Replacement
• Roofing
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Controls
• New Boiler at South Godwin
• Replace Buses and add Passenger Vans for short trips with limited students
• Replace Band Instruments
• Replace Technology (Computers)
• Replace our Carl P. Bahre Stadium Track, Wall and Fencing
• Renovate our McGavin Baseball Field and Dugouts

In the months leading up to the May 5th vote, you will hear and read more about this vital issue for Godwin Heights Public Schools. In this article, I tried to outline the major scope of dollars that would be gained from this proposal. Your understanding of the bond proposal is very important, therefore, we have scheduled the following community forums. These meetings will allow us to share potential plans, receive your valued input and to answer any questions you may have. 

Sincerely,

William Fetterhoff