MASD Announcement Details

January 5, 2023

Dear Mt. Angel Families, Students, Staff, and Community Members,

Happy New Year to each of you. I am reaching out to let you know of the exciting news that took place as winter vacation started!

Great News!
As students headed home for the holidays the afternoon of December 16, the Mt. Angel School District was notified that we are one of only 13 school districts in Oregon that is eligible for a $4,000,000 Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching (OSCIM) Grant. This amount is only for the Mt. Angel School District - a significant amount of money. With 197 school districts in our state, only 7% of schools are currently eligible to access these funds.

Why is This Important?
The health and safety of our students and staff are our first priorities. We have three school buildings with infrastructures that require intensive repairs and replacement of vital equipment. We can ensure that critical building needs are addressed and rectified by accessing these funds.

How Can We Access These Funds?
This grant is a matching grant, meaning, as a community we would need to approve at least $4,000,000 in bonds. We will be referring a bond levy to voters this May. If the bond is approved by voters, Mt. Angel will receive $4,000,000 from the state of Oregon - no cost to Mt. Angel community members. This funding would be added to the amount of the approved bond.

What Are the Next Steps?
In the coming days, weeks, and months, the school district will share essential information with you about the physical state of our school buildings. We will be seeking your input in regard to how you, your child/ren, and our staff perceive our school building infrastructures. We will provide you with a comprehensive and explicit list of critical needs. Please be on the lookout for these information pieces. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about the OSCIM grant program, you can find that information here.

Transparency
The school district has a Bond Oversight Committee with members who represent many facets of the Mt. Angel community - parents, community members, business owners, staff. These meetings are open to the public. Our next Bond Oversight Committee meeting is tonight. You will find information about this committee here.

Every student deserves to learn in a safe and healthy school. We are thrilled with this amazing opportunity and are committed to improving all aspects of safety and health for our children and staff whenever possible. May the new year bring you blessings and joy.

Respectfully,

Rachel Stucky
Superintendent