News & Updates
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Recent Updates:
- OSSD Bond Referendum Passes with 87 Percent Approval
- Bond Referendum Open House Events
- OSSD BOT Approves Bond Resolution - January 14, 2025
OSSD Bond Referendum Passes with 87 Percent Approval
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MARCH 18, 2025 - 9:45 P.M.
OSSD BOND REFERENDUM PASSES WITH 87 PERCENT APPROVAL
OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss (OSSD) -- On Tuesday, March 18, voters residing within Ocean Springs School District took to the polls and voted 87 percent in favor of the district’s proposed bond totaling 52 million dollars.
The proposed bond, originally announced by OSSD in January, came after more than a year of planning and research conducted by OSSD administration and the Strategic Planning Committee, and aims to address the infrastructure and expansion of several schools, primarily the current Ocean Springs Upper Elementary campus.
“We are incredibly thankful to the voters of OSSD for their overwhelming support of our students and staff by helping provide necessary improvements to our facilities and state-of-the-art learning environments for years to come,” says Michael Lindsey, Superintendent of OSSD. “This bond is not only an investment in our district infrastructure and buildings, but also an investment in our students and the future of our community.”
Work will begin immediately on moving forward with executing the proposed bond projects. The district will now begin detailed planning and coordination with our architect, followed by construction. The district plans to have staff members and the community involved throughout the bond process, and will provide progress updates and tentative project timelines through the entire project. The bond page on the district’s website will remain a hub of information throughout the bond process.
The $52 million dollar bond maintains the current tax rate of $80.31 per $100,000 of assessed property value, meaning homeowners would not face an increase in their property tax rate. The solution allows the district to address immediate infrastructure needs without an additional tax burden from the community and coincides with the district’s 5-year strategic plan, INSPIRE 2029.
Plan highlights:
- Construct a state-of-the-art middle school on our current upper elementary campus (currently located at 2320 Government Street).
- Make critical infrastructure upgrades to all three elementary schools and the current middle school campus.
- Renovate the current middle school campus to convert it into a 5th and 6th grade school.
- Add additional classrooms to our elementary schools as needed to allow for transition to a K-4th grade concept. Currently, the district’s elementary schools are K-3.
More information about the bond can be found on the district website by visiting www.ossdms.org/bond.
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Bond Referendum Open House Events
OSSD TO HOST SCHOOL BOND “OPEN HOUSE” INFORMATIONAL EVENTS
OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss (OSSD) -- OSSD has announced plans to host two “Open House” style informational events ahead of the school bond special election on March 18, 2025. Both events, scheduled for February 27 and March 13, will provide members of the community with an opportunity to learn more about the proposed projects.
The events will take place at OSSD’s Central Office, located at 2300 Government Street, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Community members are invited to visit throughout the day to learn more about the projects, ask questions, and view renderings of future capital improvement plans for OSSD schools.
“Our goal is to provide local taxpayers with an opportunity to learn more about the bond projects and provide feedback on an issue they will be voting on in the special election on March 18th,” said Michael Lindsey, Superintendent of OSSD. “We want to remain transparent in our plans for the future of education in Ocean Springs and want our community members to be involved throughout the process.”
The proposed $52 million dollar bond would maintain the current school tax rate of $80.31 per $100,000 of assessed property value, meaning homeowners would not face an increase in their property tax rate. The solution allows the district to address immediate infrastructure needs without an additional tax burden from the community and coincides with the district’s 5-year strategic plan, INSPIRE 2029.
Citizens residing within OSSD will have the opportunity to vote to approve the bond resolution in a special election on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Voters are encouraged to learn more about the bond and proposed plans as election day approaches. More information and plan updates will continuously be added throughout the bond process.
OSSD BOT Approves Bond Resolution - January 14, 2025
Tuesday, January 14th, 2025
During the regular school board meeting on January 14th, the Ocean Springs School District (OSSD) Board of Trustees voted to approve a bond referendum totaling $52 million. This bond will aim to address critical repairs and improvements to our schools, ensuring a safe and enhanced learning environment for all students and staff.
On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, voters residing within OSSD will have the opportunity to vote on this $52 million bond package. I want to make it clear that this proposal will not impact your current tax rate.
The bond will provide funding to:
- Construct a state-of-the-art middle school on our current upper elementary campus.
- Make critical infrastructure upgrades to all three elementary schools and the current middle school campus.
- Renovate the current middle school campus to convert it into a 5th and 6th grade school.
- Add additional classrooms to our elementary schools as needed to transition to a K-4th grade concept.
Our Board of Trustees called this election after more than a year of dedicated work on a 5-year strategic plan, input from multiple community members, organizations, and district staff. This process included a comprehensive facility study to analyze demographics, enrollment trends, and prioritize necessary repairs.
We believe this facility plan will:
- Replace one of our oldest, most outdated campuses.
- Create room for growth in the coming years.
- Transition our elementary schools to a K-4th grade model for greater efficiency and student success.
As we approach the March 18th special election, we will advertise voting sites and share additional information to ensure all voters are informed. While there will be a community campaign to encourage voter participation, the district is excited to partner with you to make these much-needed improvements to our academic facilities.
Thank you for your continued support of OSSD and our mission to provide exceptional education for all students. This page will be continuously be updated throughout the bond process, so check back for here updates!
Click here to view the presentation given during the January school board meeting.