School may be the place for students to get their education, but for a community facing a $120 million bond election it also becomes a place for parents and citizens to educated themselves.

Beginning next Monday, the various school in the Nederland Independent School District will hold an open house on their campus to help create awareness about the facts regarding the May bond election. The community will be invited to walk-through the campuses while school officials will provide information packets regarding maintenance, utilities and operating costs.

“Our district officials will also be on hand to discuss the difference in the costs of renovation and repair versus new construction,” assistant to the superintendent Sheila Davis said.

The bond was placed on the back burner Sept. 29 about a week after Hurricane Ike struck the coast. Ike’s destruction, mixed with the bleak economic outlook, caused trustees to postpone a November election calling for a $126 million bond proposition. The bond election was called during the district’s monthly meeting in February, with the revised, reduced amount of $120 million.

Superintendent Gail Krohn met with the school’s principals Monday morning and set a schedule for the open houses. They go as follows: Nederland High School (Monday, March 23, 2009, 6 PM), Helena Park (Monday, March 30, 2009, 6 PM), Highland Park Elementary (Monday, April 6, 2009, 6 PM), Hillcrest Elementary (Monday, April 13, 2009, 6 PM), Central Middle School (Tuesday, April 21, 2009, 6 PM), Langham Elementary (Monday, April 27, 2009, 6 PM), C.O. Wilson Middle School (Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 6 PM), and the Alternative Education School (Thursday, May 7, 2009, 6 PM).

“What we’ll do is we’ll have a short presentation about the areas of that particular school that are critical and facts about what it costs to maintain that school,” Krohn said.

According to law, district officials are prohibited from speaking for or against the passage of the bond and are only allowed to provide information and facts to the public.

“All I can do is present them with the facts,” Krohn said. “And provide people with the correct information.”

For more information regarding regular NISD meeting times and the board of trustees, including facts and information regarding the upcoming bond election, visit the district’s website at: http://www.nederland.k12.tx.us.

Archived bond stories and district information are also available in the "Election '09" section on panews.com

mtobias@panews.com