I am immensely humbled that both Bond 2020 propositions on yesterday’s ballot were approved by voters. On behalf of the Blue Ribbon Task Force and SAISD Trustees, I want to share with you how grateful we are to our taxpayers and to our community. With this show of support for our students, every single school in our District will benefit through technology upgrades and security enhancements. Bond 2020 also will renovate 36 campus buildings, creating 21st-century classrooms and educational spaces that promote easier collaboration among students.

This is an historic moment for our District. Not only was this the District’s biggest-ever bond proposal, this also was the biggest bond proposal to go on a Bexar County ballot. Asking for such a significant investment may have been bold, but it was needed to address the entrenched inequities that have existed for decades. 

We believe it is fitting that the passage of this bond falls on the heels of monumental academic growth throughout SAISD. Our students deserve state-of-the-art facilities to align with the academic achievement they have been demonstrating over the past few years. Our teachers, our students, our support personnel – they’re showing us what is possible when we provide them the resources. 

Therefore, we are not going to waste any time taking the first steps to put Bond 2020 in motion. We will seek qualified firms that will take SAISD forward and build on efficiencies of our previous bond projects.

All of our Bond 2016 projects have progressed on schedule with no cost overruns, and some even have come under budget. All of the academic building projects funded by Bond 2016 are expected to be completed by next year. As part of our long-range facilities master plan, we will continue Bond 2016 progress with the implementation of Bond 2020, and we will be conscientious stewards of these funds, too.

Again, thank you for all of your support leading up to this historic vote. A lot of thought, planning, and community input went into Bond 2020, and I can’t thank you enough for your roles in bringing it to fruition.

Sincerely,
Pedro