Casa Grande board hears proposed projects for possible 2025 bond, including safety, roofs and buses

Casa Grande Elementary District officials presented a set of proposed projects on Tuesday they would seek to fund if voters approve a bond this fall, highlighting campus safety upgrades, facility repairs at multiple sites and a need to replace aging buses and classroom technology.

Deputy administrators and facilities staff framed the list as priorities contingent on bond passage. "State safety is at the top of that list because it's our clear number 1 priority. We can't learn if we don't feel safe," said Tim Quinones, who led the presentation and credited multiple staff members for compiling needs. The slideshow laid out three priority buckets: safety, learning and facilities that support student flourishing.

What staff proposed - Safety and capacity: proposals include relocating or adding classroom space at Casa Grande Middle School (Saguaro campus) so classroom access remains within secured perimeters; bus-loop reconfiguration and expanded parking at Palo Verde to separate car pickups from bus traffic. - Facility repairs: targeted roof repairs (Cholla Elementary roof repairs were already underway), restroom and plumbing upgrades, painting, flooring and replacement of worn playgrounds and shades. - Transportation: the district operates 74 buses; staff said 10 were inoperable or at end-of-life and the fleet averages high annual mileage with air-conditioning failures more common in extreme heat. The presentation noted an ideal replacement plan of roughly five buses per year but the district currently lacks a sustainable replacement cycle. - Technology and classroom equipment: classroom interactive boards (IFPs), staff devices and student laptops purchased in 2020 are aging; staff cited intermittent slowdown of instructional software and rising repair costs.

Why it matters: staff said district capital needs substantially exceed annual allocations and the proposed bond would address prioritized safety and equity gaps. Quinones referenced a capital master plan and a needs assessment that identified far greater needs than the district can fund from routine capital budgets.

Board discussion and fiscal approach Quinones said the bond plan attempts to maximize available funding and noted opportunities to pair projects with alternate funding sources where feasible. Board members asked for clarification about specific site uses (for example, whether an existing multi-use building would remain available for district events) and for timelines on major repairs: Quinones said roof repairs at Cholla would continue for "three to four weeks."

The presentation will be part of continued planning if the bond measure is placed on the November ballot. The district did not propose specific dollar amounts in the board presentation; staff described the materials as a prioritized project list to guide future decisions contingent on voter approval.