Woodstock Union Rebuild Bond Vote

 

Understanding how significant affordability is for voters and how urgent rebuilding is for our communities, the School Board has developed a new rebuild plan that will reduce the local share of the bond by $15 million compared to the 2024 plan and is over $20 million less than a renovation.

This new plan was created with residents from across the district and informed by community input received at approximately 30 public meetings. The Board voted unanimously to present the plan to voters.

You’re invited to learn more below and watch school board members Keri Bristow and Seth Webb discuss the upcoming bond vote with Select Board member Laura Powell.

What are the specifics of the vote?

News, Events, and Resources

On March 3, 2026, Mountain Views Supervisory District will ask voters to approve a more affordable rebuild bond for Woodstock High School and Middle School (WUHSMS). 

Article 4 authorizes the District to borrow up to $111,950,000 for the final design and construction of a new school building, sports facilities and campus as well as the demolition of the current building ONLY IF 

  1. The District secures 25% of the bond cost from federal, state or private sources, AND IF 

  2. The State legislature eliminates the current double-penalty for school construction debt.

In total these two contingencies and the $1M made in cuts to the revised plan reduces the local share of the bond by over $15 million as compared to 2024.

Even with a “YES” vote, the project will only proceed if two criteria are met:

  1. At least $28 million in outside aid is secured to offset local costs. Depending on our state eligibility, total state funding over the life of the bond could range between $25 million and $50 million.

  2. The State Legislature eliminates the 2x–penalties for capital projects. State Senator Clarkson and State Representative Kimbel have introduced legislation that will eliminate the stiff penalty school districts now face when taking on debt to maintain their facilities.  

These conditions are written into the ballot question to protect taxpayers and contain costs. The rebuild will not happen unless both conditions #1 and #2 are met.

Master Plan

Why do we need this bond and why now?

The current school building, constructed in 1958, is aging, inefficient, and increasingly expensive to repair.

After years of study and community input, the Board believes this rebuild proposal is the most cost‑effective way to ensure our students have a safe, modern school for the next 75 years. Acting now is critical because:

  • The building is in very poor condition. The facility is now ranked the worst physical school building in Vermont with its value estimated to be over 96% depreciated. 

  • Repairs cost more in the long run. Patchwork repairs or renovations will cost more, take longer, and be more disruptive than reconstruction and construction costs will continue to rise. We are experiencing this challenge daily and due to inflation and tariffs costs have risen approximately 13% since the 2024 vote.

  • New State construction funding is coming. State funds for school construction are planned for July of 2026 that will focus on the most urgent building projects.

  • We already have state pre-approval. This pre-approval is critical for state aid and took approximately seven years of work and $2 million in private funding to secure. If we delay, we risk losing it and the investment made.

  • Local control is at risk. If redistricting moves forward, we could lose significant local control. If we are moved into a larger district, our towns have less representation and less control over spending priorities. This could result in greater challenges to rebuilding or facing the risk of closure.

Updated school design includes flat roofs, squared off facade, fewer windows

What happens if this bond doesn’t pass?

The community will need to consider more expensive options and face an increased threat of losing the school.

  • We won’t be eligible for State Aid if we don’t pass a bond, and we do not qualify for State aid for repairs due to the condition of building.

  • We will forfeit approximately $2.5M in private donations pledged to date.

  • Voters will need to consider a more expensive plan to rebuild OR renovate/repair in November.

  • We run the risk of losing our school depending on how state redistricting proceeds.

View of the school from the Ottaquechee River

Community Engagement and Next Steps

The MVSD Rebuild Working Group is coordinating outreach and keeping the process transparent. Community members can:

The Working Group will continue to refine plans and make recommendations to the Board, ensuring the community’s voice is heard throughout the process.