Heartlandbeat supports the upcoming Heartland Community Schools bond, and tomorrow is the day when voters can mark their ballots for or against this important initiative. It’s no secret that a small community’s schools, churches, and healthcare services are its lifeblood. These institutions make or break rural communities, and it is vital to maintain them and plan for future growth.
The Heartland School District has a long history of fiscal conservatism and responsible spending of taxpayer money. The school board has spent countless hours weighing the options for finishing this project, which was originally passed in 2022 with the first successful bond package. Now is the time for the district’s patrons to get behind their efforts to maintain and expand the Heartland School, making it the best we can offer for the education of our youth.
Whether you live in the Henderson or Bradshaw area, have kids in school, grandkids, or homeschool it is imperative to realize how vital the maintenance and growth of the local school is! As the value of the local school increases, so do its residents enjoy an increase in their property values and the overall economic health of the community it serves.
If you want to enjoy the amenities, security, and safety of living in a small community, you must also support the local school, whether you have a direct connection or not.
I’ve attended several of the School Board’s special informational meetings, school tours, and monthly regular board meetings, and I understand the sincerity of our board and administration in seeing this project through. The Heartland School Board has always had an open ear to what the public wanted, and they heard loud and clear from their constituents that they should pursue finishing what they started and not cut the project.
If you’ve stayed updated about the upcoming bond election, you know that changes are more than past due for our school. Our antiquated infrastructure has seen its day, and safety issues for our students need to be implemented with the remodeled main entrance and enclosed hallway to the shop. Our weight room is a joke and not a safe or accessible place for our student-athletes. What we call the new gym is not new anymore and needs updated seating and an adequate AC system. Every spare inch of our school is being utilized to accommodate the need for more classroom space. And the list goes on.
I commend Superindentent Jeremy Klein for handling what became a pretty complicated situation when he started his job at Heartland, and the bids came in unexpectedly high. He has been an excellent communicator of all facets of the project and has always had an open door, willing to talk to the public about the project.
We all have to be willing to make sacrifices to continue enjoying the good life in our small towns, and today, that means voting for the Heartland Bond on Tuesday, May 14th!
