By Dr. Jason Hornbacher, Supt. 

Due to current and expected enrollment growth, the Bismarck School Board will seek public input in March on a 3-Phase Facilities Proposal.  

Phase 1: Build two new elementary schools—one in the NE and one in the NW.

• Use 3 mills of the existing 10-mill building fund to open these schools in fall 2022.
• Relieve crowding at Liberty, Centennial, Grimsrud, Highland Acres, Sunrise & Murphy.
• Elementary boundary changes would need to be made; as well as a possible micro-boundary change between Miller & Pioneer to reduce Pioneer enrollment.
• Remove many of the 26 portables in use across the district next year.

Phase 2: Complete a Long Range Facilities Plan for BPS in 2020; watch for possible funding for facilities during the 2021 legislature; monitor enrollment growth the next two years.  

Phase 3:  Address the needs of Legacy High by adding the 3^rd wing; address needs at Lincoln by adding a PreK-Kindergarten wing, and making improvements at other existing schools.

Meetings: The public is invited to attend one of these input sessions from 6:30-7:30 pm:

• March 24 - Horizon Middle School cafetorium
• March 26 - Simle Middle School auditorium
• March 31 - Wachter Middle School cafetorium.

More information was presented at the Feb. 25 School Board meeting. Click on the Agenda at: https://www.bismarckschools.org/Page/401

• The 1st census was in 1790; the U.S. Constitution requires every person to be counted every 10 years.
• Completing the required census is your way to participate our democracy!
• The results are used to reapportion the U.S. House of Representatives to determine how many seats each state gets. States use the data to redraw boundaries of their state and congressional legislative districts.
• Census data determine how more than $675 BILLION are spent to support your city, county and state for many programs and services.
• Census data is CONFIDENTIAL! It’s against the law to share information with law enforcement or immigration authorities, for example.
• Real estate developers use census data to build new homes and revitalize old neighborhoods. Businesses use it to decide where to build stores and offices, which create jobs. Local government uses it for public safety and emergency preparedness.
• 2020 is easier than ever: you can fill out the Census online starting March 12, or phone or mail in the information. For those who do not self-respond, a census worker will come to your home and ask you questions regarding who lives in your residence.

By Becky Labella, BPS Safety Coordinator 

Lockdown – when there’s an immediate threat to student/staff safety. Normal activity stops.

Shelter-in-Place – precautionary measure when there’s NOT an immediate threat to student/staff safety. Depending on the situation, students may/may not be allowed to leave the classroom without adult supervision, and people may/may not be allowed to enter/exit the school.

Tornado/Severe Weather – usually initiated by the National Weather Service. Students are escorted to a pre-designated safe area (interior rooms with no windows, hallways, basements).

Evacuation – initiated by the fire alarm or an intercom announcement. Students are escorted through the nearest exit and out of the school to a “Reunification Area” where teachers take roll.

BPS Reunification Procedures

1. WAIT for the school district to contact you re: the location of the Reunification Site via emails, texts and/or phone calls.
2. Do NOT come to the school; do NOT call your student; this hinders law enforcement and puts students/staff at risk.
3. BRING your government ID to the site. Students will not be released to parents/guardians who do not present proper identification. This is for the safety of all students.