Frequently Asked Questions

A school bond referendum is a local election where eligible voters decide whether to approve a property tax increase to pay for renovations, new construction, or other capital improvements to school buildings. For the referendum to succeed, it must receive at least 60% of the vote.

Approval of a bond referendum grants authority for the district to sell bonds that fund the cost of improvements, and pay back those bonds over time using revenue from the property tax increase.

The proposed improvement plan aims to:

• Improve the integrity of the school buildings to ensure they can reliably serve our students and community for decades to come.

• Strengthen safety and security to better serve students and staff. 

• Provide elementary students and staff with adequate space for physical education, activities, performances, and dining.

• Ensure the buildings are healthy, comfortable, and energy efficient.

A full summary of the maintenance and improvements the plan would make can be found on the plan page.

If the referendum does not pass, our buildings’ needs will remain unaddressed with the current maintenance budget. This will leave our district with two options:

1. Divert money from the general fund for building maintenance.

2. Return to voters with a new referendum during a future election.

The vast majority of the general fund is used for personnel and curriculum. Diverting money from the general fund for maintenance would require cuts to these services for students.

If our district were to hold a new referendum, the earliest it could be held would be June 2026. This would require our district to fully repeat the process of obtaining estimates for maintenance and renovation, since the costs of labor and materials are likely to increase over the next year.

Yes! Hundreds of schools have held referendums in North Dakota. Districts hold referendums to fund improvements to their schools and/or provide additional funding for things that the annual budget isn’t enough to cover.

The building fund only generates about $125,000 annually for maintenance. Because many large projects cost many times this amount, it is extremely difficult to save up for them while still addressing basic maintenance needs. 

From a financial perspective, it is also more cost effective to address maintenance needs and learning spaces all at once than to spread them out over many years. With any repair or construction there are always upfront costs to seek contractors, buy materials, and manage construction. By including many improvements in one plan, our district would pay these costs fewer times, avoid inflation, and lock in interest rates to finance the improvements.

Our maintenance budget has struggled under the weight of needed repairs for several years now, which is just one of the reasons we have proposed a referendum three times in the last five years. The longer we are unable to address these needs, the greater the likelihood we will eventually have no choice but to divert additional money from things like teaching and curriculum to pay for building upkeep. It is also within our best interest to complete construction as early as we responsibly can because of rising construction costs and current uncertainty around the economy. Earlier construction also provides safer, healthier environments for students and staff sooner.

Having only one room for all physical education, breakfasts, lunches, performances and events at the elementary school was the most commonly identified learning space challenge by our staff and community members. The room is used practically non-stop during the school day, which requires constant cleaning, set up, tear down, and complicated scheduling to ensure it is correctly staged for upcoming classes and events. Given the sheer number of hours our students and staff spend in this space, we felt it vitally important to provide them with spaces that can reduce disruptions and better meet the needs of our students.

The gymnasium would have a single full-sized court, which could be split into two smaller junior courts. Floorplans are conceptual at this time, but it is anticipated to have three rows of seating on one side and four on the other.

Given the current gym/cafeteria space’s sheer number of uses, the board decided to propose a gym with a full-size court capable of hosting multiple activities. For example, the space could host performances and presenters, the annual talent show, kindergarten graduation, and other activities in the space in addition to the usual physical education classes. These events draw large numbers of people that pack our current cafeteria/gymnasium space to capacity.

Educational & Programmatic Uses

• Indoor Recess Space: Especially helpful during cold months or inclement weather—a space for safe play, movement, and social interaction.

• Movement-Based Learning Activities: Teachers could use the space for active learning—math relay races, science scavenger hunts, sight word obstacle courses, etc.

• Fine Motor and Gross Motor Interventions: A space for occupational/physical therapists to work with students who need movement breaks or motor skills support.

• PE & Lunch Scheduling Flexibility: Though not a “use”, splitting the gym and lunch into two spaces will help avoid conflicts and host activities in both spaces simultaneously.

• Flexible Learning Environment: Large STEM builds, maker-space activities, or robotics events can thrive in a big open space.

Arts & Events Uses

• Assemblies and Performances: Space for school-wide events, guest speakers, talent shows, music programs, and drama productions.

• Art and Science/STEAM Fairs: Showcase student work in a larger venue with room for families and displays.

• Music & Band Rehearsals: Especially when concerts are coming up or space in the music room is limited.

Social & Emotional Learning Uses

• Large Group Counseling or SEL Activities: Counselor or SEL teams can use the space for activities promoting teamwork, empathy, and leadership.

• Family Events: Family literacy nights, math games, back-to-school nights, or parent-teacher events.

• Buddy Events & Pen Pal Activities: A common gathering spot for multi-age mentoring events, like the Pen Pals program.

Wellness & Community Uses

• Morning Movement Programs: Before-school programs like "Walk and Talk," yoga, or dance to get kids moving and focused.

• Community Engagement: Evening open gyms, walking, health fairs, or community exercise classes are all possibilities to extend use of the space to residents.

Of the $19.9 million investment proposed by the bond referendum, approximately $4,930,380 is budgeted for new physical education space. The gymnasium would be a central component of a new wing added to the building. This wing would also include the new secure entrance to the building, front office, ADA-accessible restrooms, changing rooms, and storage space.

With the addition of a dedicated physical education space and the relocated main office, the current cafeteria/gym would become the school's full-time cafeteria and the current office would be converted into a new special education classroom. This would eliminate the constant turnover within the cafeteria/gym and provide our special education instructors with a dedicated space to provide individualized support to their students

The current space would become the school’s full-time cafeteria. This would eliminate the need to set up tables and serving stations multiple times per day.

If the referendum is approved, our district will sell bonds to finance the project and begin the design and bidding process as required by the North Dakota Century Code.

During the assessments of our buildings, several areas of our bathrooms were identified as not meeting requirements for accessibility:

• Stall Dimensions: Current stalls do not meet the minimum required widths and internal clearances for accessibility.

• Turning Radius: Restrooms lack the required 60-inch turning diameter necessary for wheelchair maneuverability.

• Accessible Sinks: Sinks are not ADA compliant due to insufficient knee and toe clearances, as well as limited reach range for users.

• Urinals: Existing urinals do not meet ADA height or clearance requirements.

• Mirrors: Mounted mirrors are installed too high and do not meet visibility requirements for wheelchair users.

• Strike-Side Clearance: Doorways do not provide the necessary strike-side clearance, restricting accessible entry and exit.

A complete renovation will be required to bring these restrooms into full ADA compliance. This includes reconfiguring restroom entrances, relocating plumbing fixtures (toilets, urinals, and sinks), and modifying wall and partition layouts.

It is important to note that the cost per square foot for a restroom renovation is significantly higher than a standard renovation due to the density of plumbing, mechanical, and ADA-compliance requirements. The budget for this work includes all costs for design and engineering, contingency, inflation, and permits.

Yes! Some of the current playground equipment will be relocated to the park’s green space on the north side of Langdon Area Elementary School. This will provide students both with playground equipment and additional field space during recesses. The stretch of 12th Avenue between 7th and 8th Street would be cordoned off during recess times to ensure students can pass safely between the school and the playground. Our district will work with the Langdon Park Board to relocate the equipment and finalize the layout if the referendum passes.

While the bond referendum will not change the building fund, it will immediately address the most expensive and urgent needs of our building. This, along with improved efficiency from new roofing, electrical systems, and HVAC updates, will give our district the cushion it needs to address other, non-urgent maintenance. As a brand new space, the addition is not anticipated to require significant maintenance for many years.

This is not yet known. The space is owned by the Park Board, which has agreed to work with our district to relocate the playground onto park land, but the Park Board will ultimately have the final say on whether a fence is also added. This and more details will be finalized if the referendum is approved.

No matter what, our district cannot bond for more than $19.9 million. Should the cost of the plan exceed this cost, the construction manager will work with our district to identify modifications that keep the project under budget while still achieving the goals outlined in the improvement plan.