The committee formed to advise the Redmond School District on how to best shape a November school bond has recommended that the district plan to consolidate Redmond and Ridgeview high schools.

The committee made that recommendation with “overwhelming” support in an anonymous vote last month. The committee recommendation came after the district conducted a phone survey that found 69% of 400 community members polled were in favor of consolidation.

What do students think about combining schools?

Before a high-intensity boys basketball game between Redmond and Ridgeview, students from both schools shared perspectives on possible consolidation.

The consolidation is ultimately contingent on passage of a bond that the school board may put before voters in November, which would provide funding to complete upgrades to Redmond High School in addition to several other projects districtwide, according to Michael Summers, chair of the Redmond School board and candidate for the Oregon Senate.

Summers said the permanent consolidation of the two schools is contingent on passage of the bond. Summers said if the bond does not pass, it is likely that Redmond High students would have to be temporarily bused to Ridgeview for an entire school year while crews repair the failing HVAC system at Redmond High.

The other option in the event that the bond does not pass, Summers said, is to set up modular classrooms outside Redmond High for about a year during the HVAC repair, including a large tent where students would take classes and eat lunch.

School board vote still a few steps away

Summers said the board is still several steps away from voting on the consolidation plan and the details of the November bond. He said the board plans to further engage the community before making a final decision.

District officials say there is enough space for students and staff of both schools in the current Ridgeview building. The consolidation would avoid duplicated classes, allow all students to access those classes and reduce operational costs and water use. The consolidation would save $2 million to $4 million in annual costs, officials said.

Poll gauges public support

The school district hired Portland-based Wright Public Affairs to conduct a community poll to gauge public support for both the bond measure and the consolidation of the two schools.

The poll, which was conducted from Feb. 18-22, tapped a diverse group of 400 voters in the Redmond School District. Results showed that 57% of those polled were in support of the bond measure while 69% of those polled were in support of permanently merging the two high schools. Those results came after voters were told details of the bond and that it would not increase taxes.

The survey started by telling respondents: “Redmond currently has two high schools — Redmond High School, built in 1970, and Ridgeview High School built in 2012. The district has recently discovered a total failure in its HVAC piping at Redmond High School which will require the school to be closed for at least a year to fully repair due to potential asbestos exposure and other toxic hazards. There are several solutions on how to house students during this process.”

The survey summed up the two options as:

Option A: “Some people say that since Ridgeview High School is currently operating at about half of its capacity and school enrollment is declining, we should close Redmond High School, repurposing the building for other district programs, and combine the district’s two high schools into one, located at Ridgeview High School. This would create operational efficiencies, saving taxpayer dollars, and give students more opportunities by allowing for the construction of a modern career and technical education program with a wide variety of job training courses on the Ridgeview High School campus.”

Option B: “Some people say that we should make the necessary repairs to Redmond High School, keep the two schools separate, and place students in temporary portable classrooms outside the school until repairs are completed. This approach keeps our schools small, with unique programs we can be proud of, and preserves the heritage and history of Redmond High School.

Poll results surprise bond advisory committee

Marvin Kaplan, a bond advisory committee member, said the committee was surprised that 69 percent of respondents went with the first option.

“The committee was very surprised that there were so many people that were in favor of it, and very few had anything negative to say about the combination of the two schools,” Kaplan said. “From a monetary standpoint, it is much more beneficial to combine the two high schools than not.”

Kaplan said it is important to consider that the bond that may appear on the November ballot will keep tax rates the same as they are now.

Dave Bergman is a bond advisory committee member with children who attend school in the district. He said the committee’s recommendation is only that — and the ultimate decision will be up to voters.

“Everybody in the community is a stakeholder, but we as the committee are no greater stakeholders than any voter,” Bergman said. “We are there as almost a focus group that you can really educate on a process and then help to see how people are going to feel about it.”

Bergman said out of the around 30 people on the committee he is aware of only one committee member who voted against consolidation.

“I think what swayed everybody was the opportunity to give the kids of Redmond an absolutely shining beacon of a high school,” Bergman said. “It (Redmond High) can always be reverted back to Redmond High School. That will already be there. It will serve the community and it will always be there for the memories of the graduates, but the kids coming out of middle school will have a facility that is on par with the best in the state.”

More community engagement planned

Summers said a phone survey conducted by the school district is not predictive, but provided a snapshot of what people are feeling at the time.

“There are several steps before this goes on the ballot, and basically the survey results were presented to the committee and the two big choices for that night were to consolidate or to go after the laundry list of other projects we have in the district,” Summers said. “That was basically the Y in the road that would dictate different pathways.”

Summers said all options will be considered before making any final decisions.

“At the end of the day, we have zero interest in putting forward a bond that people will vote down, because we have critical things that have to happen in the district. We need that bond to pass,” Summers said. “It is making sure we are in step with the community and that we are giving them as much information and transparency as possible.”

Board has final say on consolidation

He said that though the committee recommended the district proceed with consolidation, the board has the final decision on the matter. It could choose to ignore the committee’s recommendation if it decides doing so is in the public and district’s best interest. Summers said the final vote on consolidation could come by June.

He noted there are about $300 million of infrastructure repairs needed throughout the district. The bond, if passed, would provide less than $100 million. It’s up to the school board and administration to figure out how to use those dollars most efficiently.

He emphasized that Redmond High would not be demolished were the bond to pass and the consolidation move forward. Instead, it would have its failing HVAC system upgraded and it would be used by the district for administrative purposes and possibly an alternative high school. If the current Redmond High building can be repurposed, it could allow the district to sell two buildings, bringing in cash and reducing maintenance costs. And if demographics change in Redmond in the future, it could some day be reopened as a high school again.

“If Redmond experiences growth and we all of a sudden get a student population that needs a new high school, we’ve got Redmond High. And that to me is the best case scenario. That would be wonderful,” Summers said. “It will be fully utilized until the event in the future that we need a new high school and then we are ready to go.”

Summers said he and his colleagues understand the emotional gravity of a decision to combine the schools. He said the board will weigh the financially prudent decision and community feelings.

“People care about different things,” he said. “And just because it might be the most fiscally conservative use of money, sometimes for people that is not their main driver. They are lifelong Panthers and the thought of losing that is an emotional cost that is more important to them than the savings.”