HOOD RIVER — Hood River County School District board members reviewed favorable summer polling data and outlined plans for regional high school site visits as part of an updated long-range facility presentation at its Sept. 23 meeting.
Superintendent Bill Newton, along with members of the Long Range Facility Planning Committee (LRFPC), presented findings from the past year of site evaluations, demographic studies, and community polling to address aging infrastructure while creating safe, modern learning environments for students.
“Long-range facility planning allows us to take a strategic look at how our schools and support facilities are used,” said Newton.
Evaluating district infrastructure requires addressing real physical needs. Aside from May Street Elementary, built in 2019, the average age of HRCSD facilities is 80 years. Decades of wear have left aging heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical systems that require ongoing maintenance to remain operational and compliant with modern safety and technology standards.
Because Oregon does not provide dedicated state funding for school capital maintenance, districts rely on local bonds for major facility upgrades. Newton said that addressing essential repairs proactively prevents larger, more costly emergency failures down the road, keeping general fund dollars focused on classroom instruction.
The LRFPC, made up of local parents, community members, district staff, and board members, spent the past year evaluating site conditions alongside economic and enrollment trends.
Jeremy Wright of Wright Public Affairs presented the summer survey results, noting that while voters statewide and nationally express heightened frustration over broader economic pressures, Hood River County residents view HRCSD as a trusted steward of public funds.
Survey respondents evaluated both overall financial frameworks and specific project priorities. Among the funding options tested, a $109 million, 20-year bond concept received the most community support. When asked about individual facility priorities, residents expressed strong interest in districtwide critical repairs, ADA accessibility, and transportation upgrades, while showing more support for potential elementary consolidation scenarios than for middle school consolidation.
District data shows that enrollment shifts have left several campuses operating below student capacity. Cassie Hibbert of the Wenaha Project Management Team said maintaining underused square footage diverts taxpayer dollars into heating, lighting, and maintaining empty spaces rather than funding direct instruction.
To address schools not at capacity, the committee looked at potential long-term scenarios, such as combining upper valley elementary schools (Parkdale and Mid Valley) or middle schools (Hood River and Wy’east). Presentation materials showed how reducing extra square footage could save on annual operating costs; however, district leaders and committee members said they understand and appreciate the value and benefits of neighborhood schools. There are also concerns with whether declining enrollment trends will continue over the next several years as predicted. District leaders said consolidation options were included in the summer survey to explore ideas discussed by the committee and see how residents felt about them. There are no school consolidation plans being considered at this time.
While earlier polling focused heavily on elementary and middle school scenarios, committee members have expressed an interest in exploring upgrades to Hood River Valley High School before making any long-term decisions.
Hibbert said major high school concepts were set aside initially due to high price tags. To better understand practical, cost-effective options, district staff and committee members will visit regional high schools that have recently completed renovations or updates. These visits will allow the team to evaluate real-world design efficiencies, construction costs, and practical layout solutions.
Steve Nelsen of OPSIS Architecture said further discussions with staff and community members will help define exact facility priorities across campuses.
District leaders said no final decisions have been made, and any formal bond proposal remains in the planning phase. Once high school site evaluations are complete and the committee has identified options to explore further, HRCSD will launch a public outreach effort, including community listening sessions and surveys, to gather input from district residents before considering a measure for a future ballot.
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