Community Voices

It's Time to Hear From Our Community

Students, parents, teachers, and community members share why they support better schools for Siuslaw.

Community Voices

Hear from neighbors, business owners, educators, and community leaders who support better schools.

“Building a community is an act of gratitude and foresight. No matter where we've lived throughout our lives, we stand on the shoulders of prior generations whose support gave us the schools we and our children grew up in, and now it is our turn to pay that legacy forward. By modernizing our schools, we aren't just constructing buildings; we are ensuring Florence remains a vibrant, competitive home for the next generation of leaders and workers.”
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Ron Green Florence, Oregon
“I know first-hand the benefit of having quality schools to attract a solid workforce. Folks will gladly relocate here if they feel their kiddos are being taken care of in safe educational environments that are conducive to learning and thriving. A new high school and renovated elementary school are essential in our endeavor to keep Florence a 'City in Motion'. It's time!”
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Sally Wantz Florence City Council
“A modern facility would attract and retain educators and other professionals to serve our community. It would demonstrate to our children and families that we are investing in our future. We have a responsibility to those who preceded us to ensure we are carrying forward their legacy by supporting this measure.”
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Jason Hawkins Florence, Oregon
“In order for young professional families like my own to remain in Florence, we need modern school facilities that reflect the academic excellence, athletic achievements, and irreplaceable Viking pride happening inside the schools. We're at a point where we can't afford not to improve our facilities.”
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Laurel Ferguson SHS Graduate, Parent & Business Owner
“It may look good from the road, but inside the crowded classrooms, the mechanical system shortcomings, and the toll of time cannot be ignored. Clearly, now is the time to replace our high school building with a safer, more functional, and efficient facility. I fully support the school bond.”
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Rev. Greg Wood Florence, Oregon
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Robert Orr

Chair, Citizens for Schools and Community

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as chair of the Siuslaw School District Facilities Advisory Committee, and the Siuslaw school bond political action committee, whenever either committee has been active over the past 7+ years.

I have been an educator for most of the past 55 years, working in both public and independent schools for grade levels ranging from kindergarten through 12. In my career, I have seen how great education can be under the best of circumstances, with excellent teachers and facilities. I have also seen how fine educational institutions can benefit communities and people of all ages within those communities.

Having worked as a volunteer and later as a staff member for Siuslaw schools since 2016, I have witnessed the tremendous caring and dedication of our Siuslaw teachers and staff members. I have also worked with hundreds of students in this school district who truly want an excellent education. To the extent possible, given the limitations of our aging facilities, we offer fine educational opportunities in academics, career and technical arts, athletics and much more.

Now, it's time for us to address our educational facilities needs. When I began my career as an educator, I might have said that facilities play a minor role in the educational process. That is no longer true. With new research in education, we know that flexible classrooms, hands-on learning, natural light, assembly space with decent acoustics, and basic human comforts in temperature and air quality, play oversized roles in the teaching and learning processes. Our facilities at the high school and elementary school are lacking in all of those categories. Furthermore, in this age of electronics, infrastructure has become a significant factor in primary and secondary education - and our electrical systems in the Siuslaw school district are seriously in need of increased capacity and modernization.

Student and teacher safety and security are also key factors in schools. Our high school building, and portions of our elementary school, are unsafe and unsecured: unsafe because they were built before modern earthquake codes, and unsecured because of the many entrances to the high school and the open corridors at the elementary school.

Schools also hold a pivotal role in most communities. Good schools - fueled by excellent teachers and attractive, well-functioning facilities - are vital to a thriving community. We are all aware of the shortage of health professionals in the Florence area, and we have heard from families who do not wish to move to this area because of our aging school facilities. Good schools, of which facilities are a critical component, will attract new professionals, new businesses, and new investment in our community. This will increase our tax base, lowering individual property taxes for all of us and bringing new medical, cultural, business, and service opportunities to this area. Good school facilities will also give us a competitive edge in continuing to attract the best teachers available.

A committee of outstanding local community members, consisting of 12 from the community-at-large and 6 from the school district (including both employees and school board members) spent nearly 2 years examining Siuslaw School District facilities - including both remodeling and rebuilding options - and developing a recommendation that was presented to the members of the Siuslaw School Board last December. Based on that recommendation, the school board has approved a school bond measure to be placed on the May 19 ballot. Please take a few minutes to look at the frequently asked questions and responses, testimonials, short videos, photos, bond costs and other factual information on this website.

The May 19 school bond measure presents one of the most important decisions for local voters in the history of the Siuslaw region. Its passage will help to set the stage for the health, strength and prosperity of our children, our community, and our future. Thank you for taking the time to consider it.