Smyrna superintendent urges voters to approve March 9 referendum to fund schools, safety and mental-health services

Superintendent Susan Brown of the Smyrna School District urged residents to vote in favor of a capital project and operating-expense referendum on March 9, 2024, saying rising costs have made additional local funding necessary to complete planned construction and services.

Brown said the district passed a 2021 referendum that laid the foundation for the current plans and that the Board of Education has "diligently reviewed and approved a capital project and operating expense referendum directly tied to the needs of our community." She told listeners the referendum is designed to match state funding and to move forward three specific projects and a package of services.

The measure would fund a new intermediate school on Rabbit Chase Road; the expansion and transformation of Clayton Intermediate School into Clayton Middle School; and the expansion of North Elementary. "These projects are not just about physical structures," Brown said, adding they are intended to provide "an optimal learning environment for every child."

Brown also said the referendum would allow the district to recruit and hire constables in every school building, provide mental-health support in every school, maintain competitive salaries for staff and enhance instructional technology. She said the funding would also support extracurricular activities for students at the new middle school. The transcript does not include dollar amounts, staffing numbers, or details about legal authority for hiring school constables.

Brown closed by asking the community to "let your vote be the voice that resonates through the halls of our schools" and directed residents to the district website and Facebook page for updates on the campaign and referendum details. The referendum is scheduled for March 9, 2024; no vote totals or additional implementation timelines were provided in the remarks.