Bond Issue Question & Answer
Dear Newcastle residents,
Newcastle Public Schools has a $10.7 million bond on the Nov.
18, 2025 ballot. Projects on this bond include safe rooms for the upper elementary school, land purchase for a new elementary school, track renovations and improvements, and additional seating and restrooms at the stadium.
Below are a few questions that have been asked over the past few weeks.
1. How much land will the school purchase? The district plans to purchase 25 acres for a second elementary school and a new AG facility.
2. In purchasing additional land, is the goal to create larger campuses or start to incorporate schools into different areas of the community?
The new school would be in a different location. This will help create additional neighborhood schools and address some of the traffic congestion that is experienced on main street during drop off and pick up times.
3. Will adding a new school split the community? No. Students attending the new school will still be Racers and go to the same middle school and high school with the students from the other elementary school.
4. How soon will the safe rooms be installed at the elementary school? We will start working with the architect as soon as we get the bond results. Construction cannot begin until we receive our money which will be early August of 2026.
5. Will locker rooms, a concession stand and parking be part of the renovations at the track?
Parking is an alternate project in this bond. If there are funds available we will look at adding additional parking. Sometimes, things come in under budget which allows us to make additional improvements.
The locker rooms and a concession stand are not part of this bond project but are certainly items that will need to be addressed in future bonds or paid for with other funds.
6. Past bonds that benefited every student gained community support, but those centered on athletics have not. Why are essential safe rooms tied to projects that affect only a few students and have historically failed to pass?
The bond committee tried to address as many of the smaller projects as possible that could be paid for with $10.7 million. The list of projects was quite long so the focus became student safety and growth. Safe rooms, track renovations and additional seating at the stadium all address safety concerns while the land purchase addresses growth.
7. What specific items are included in the $4,260,000 allocated for football? New home seating and additional restrooms alone wouldn’t account for costs exceeding $4 million.
All of the cost projections for each project include architect fees, construction fees, bond fees and for the press box at the stadium furniture and fixture expenses. All of the project costs are estimated at a 12% upcharge since we do not know what construction costs will be next fall when we start purchasing materials.
8. Will my property taxes go up? Property taxes will stay at 36 mills. This is for the school taxes. It does not include any property valuation increase by the county.
9. Will this bond exceed our bonding capacity? No. Because of the continuous growth in Newcastle, our bonding capacity has increased to allow us to ask for $10.7 million in a smaller bond without raising the school’s portion of property taxes.
10. How is this bond connected to the 2022 bond issue?
• The 2025 bond would be paid off concurrently with the existing 2022 bond, so their maturities align.
• The 2022 bond is already under construction for multiple district projects (e.g. high school additions, safety upgrades, new facilities).
• Because of conservative planning, the 2022 bond is projected to finish paying off two years early (by 2029) and it sets up the district for a $100 million bond without changing the millage rate.
11. When will the bond vote take place? The bond election is scheduled for November 18, 2025. 12. Why are these projects needed?
• Newcastle is growing, and the current elementary school is at capacity (717 students), so additional land and schools are needed.
• The district experienced a tornado in November that damaged the gym roof; safe rooms would help protect students in future severe weather events.
• Stadium seating is full during football games, causing safety and viewing issues; adding seats and restrooms addresses these needs.
• The track facility is outdated and does not meet current needs and poses a safety concern; improvements would allow the district to host events and bring visitors to the community.
13. What happens if the bond does not pass? If voters reject the bond, the district may have to delay or cancel planned facility improvements, postpone addressing growth-related needs or reconsider future bond proposals.
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me to ask questions about the 2025 bond. I truly appreciate this community for always investing in our students.
It’s a great day to be a Racer!
Cathy Walker, Ed.D.
Superintendent, Newcastle Public Schools
