BOND MEASURE 2024

The Pleasant Ridge Union School District (the “District”), formed in 1957, serves the communities of Lake of the Pines, Grass Valley, Alta Sierra, and other portions of south Nevada County. Serving students from pre-kindergarten to the 8th grade at Alta Sierra Elementary, Arete Charter Academy, Cottage Hill Elementary, and Magnolia Intermediate Schools, the District strives to provide a safe and engaging environment where students develop academic, social, and life skills to become productive citizens. Alta Sierra, Cottage Hill, and Magnolia have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools, and each of the two elementary schools has been named a National Blue Ribbon School.

Over the past 11 years, the District has used all available resources to maintain and improve the overall state of our school facilities. Since 2013, the District has improved schools with a new Cottage Hill library, a Magnolia science lab, and new play structures and lighting. The District has also maintained and repaired roofs and HVAC and kept schools as up-to-date as possible.

However, the District schools are all over 50 years old and need repairs and modernization. The Pleasant Ridge Elementary School District has used developer fees and general fund dollars to keep the schools operational, but the remaining projects require more than these funds. 

On November 5, 2024, all Pleasant Ridge School District voters will be asked to vote on Measure D, a $25 million school bond. Measure D could also improve safety in case of emergencies. Communities around us have been devastated by wildfires in recent years, and it’s more important than ever that our community is prepared in an emergency. Measure D could ensure that our schools can function as effective shelters for the whole community. Measure D could also improve school safety by reconfiguring student pick-up and drop-off zones and ensuring evacuation routes are in place.

Measure D provides for strict accountability. It includes appointing an Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee to monitor and review all bond expenditures and conduct annual audits to ensure all funds are spent locally as promised.  None of the money will be used for school administrators, teacher salaries, or pensions.