What’s next for Culver schools, now that bond passed?

For the Culver School District, the days following election night usually mean it’s back to the drawing board.

This time, with a five-vote victory certified Monday, it’s about getting down to business.

“We’re more of the meat-and-potatoes type of school district, so it’s not, ‘What do we want?’ It’s, ‘What do we need? And how do we make the need become reality now that this has passed?'” school board Chairman David Slaght said Monday.

The $8.8 million bond will pay for a new heating and cooling system and improvements to the district’s electrical system.

But first, it’s about creating a plan.

“Trying to figure out if we’re hiring a project manager, trying to get some public input on the architecture and working with staff to figure out what’s needed,” Slaght said.

To figure out what’s needed, they’ve enrolled some neighborly help.

“We actually have a meeting planned with Mike Tiller from the Bend-La Pine School District. He’s very experienced with these projects in schools, so we’re meeting with him this week and laying some groundwork,” Slaght said.

For Culver High School Principal Tim Fields, he’s looking forward to a change for the better — like no more space heaters in classrooms.

“In one room, it could be 80 to 85 degrees — and then go to your next class and you have to put your coat on,” Fields said. “We do what we can with what we have, but now that we’ll have better facilities, we’ll be able to make better gains.”

Students, staff, the community — many people eager to see these projects completed.

“Students might not see anything different at first, but once construction gets started, I’ve already talked to staff, and there will be disturbances like noise, but those are all things we are going to work out,” Slaght said.

Slaght added that now more than ever is when patience pays off.

“I know that we don’t have all the time in the world,” he said, “but the biggest mistake that I think we could make is to rush this. Now that we’ve gone through the steps three times to get this to pass, the last thing I want to do as a constituent of this community is rush something.”