Orchard Prairie School District bond appears to pass in special election

Orchard Prairie School District appears to be getting a new school, election night results indicate.

The tiny and historic district’s proposed $6.2 million bond to construct a new school for its 79 students earned 64.6% voter support Tuesday night, providing a good cushion to remain at or above the 60% threshold needed to pass as more votes are counted in the coming days.

The proposal fared better than an identical one from November that garnered 55.8% support from the 559 voters in the 6-square-mile school district.

School officials will use the funds to replace a 1970s-era building that staff say is too small and not up to state codes on accessibility and seismic safety.

School board President Katelyn Schuler’s phone was pinging nonstop after results dropped, and it was staff reaching out to celebrate and confirm the numbers were true.

She’s excited for teachers and students in the district where she sends her kids and also works as a counselor.

“There was just this sense of ownership from a lot of our students in the process, so I’m so excited for them to feel that sense of pride, for them to feel we worked for this and we put in the effort and it paid off,” she said. “Now we get to see the results of that.”