Vote set for Grand Forks Public Schools on replacing middle school

GRAND FORKS, ND (KVRR) — Voters in Grand Forks on Tuesday, will help shape the future of education for students in the city. Grand Forks Public Schools will wait and see if a $79 million referendum is approved.

$55 million will go to replacing Valley Middle School. According to Terry Brenner, the superintendent of GFPS, the school was built in the 1950s and is not up to code in a lot of areas. One issue they face is there is not air conditioning within the school, which paired with the hot temperatures, it can make for an unpleasant environment.

Brenner shared what it would mean for the vote to go through.

“It would be something to celebrate. Our staff and students at Valley are without air conditioning. They have been since the building was built. And even with the temperatures today, 74-75 degrees outside, we’re showing thermostats well into the 80s in classrooms and we don’t have any air movement it’s just stagnant.” said Brenner.

The rest of funding would go to other projects. $6 million would go to moving the central kitchen to the district office, while the rest of the money would be used for security and safety upgrades throughout the district.

Voting is set for Tuesday at the Alerus Center.