Ozark school district opens first of 3 planned storm shelters from 2022 bond issue

The Ozark school district recently completed the first of three new storm shelters.

A ribbon-cutting for the new structure at Ozark Middle School was recently held. Students from the middle school choir were part of the celebration.

The space includes classrooms, offices, a new entrance and a storm shelter.

"We are so proud of this wonderful building," Superintendent Lori Wilson said in a news release. "We want to thank the community for supporting our schools and understanding that we needed this structure to not only keep our students and staff safe, but also enhance their learning environment."

The storm shelter was part of a $19 million bond issue approved by voters in April 2022. A "no tax increase" bond issue, it extended the district's indebtedness but did not alter the tax rate.

The district made a commitment to get a storm shelter in each building. The next in line include the Tiger Paw and Ozark High School.

The high school project will add space for indoor activities, set to open for the 2024-25 year, while the Tiger Paw project includes a kitchen and a new cafeteria and is set to open in the spring.

More: Ozark schools place two funding questions on April ballot, neither raises property taxes

"Our school district doesn't make decisions without direct input from parents and members of the community," said board president Sarah Adams Orr, in the release. "What you're seeing today is the execution of the requests set out by parents and community members who said safety was at the top of their list."

Eric Russell, principal of the middle school, said students will not move into the new classrooms until the next school year but will offer enough space to accommodate 150 students. The new centralized front office is already in use.

"I just appreciate that we're all here today to celebrate the impact this structure is going to have," Russell said, in the release. "It is not only designed to keep us safe in the event of a storm, but it's also going to serve tremendously in some learning."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ozark school district opens first of 3 storm shelters from 2022 bond