Exhorting the community to “Make your voice heard!” the Bolinas-Stinson Union School District has launched a community survey this week to solicit input from district voters on a range of proposed facility upgrades and improvements on Bolinas and Stinson Beach campuses. The survey, developed by the Fiscal Oversight & Facilities Planning Advisory Committee (FOFPAC)—an advisory body to the school superintendent and board trustees—is based upon results obtained from a comprehensive BSUSD Staff Survey conducted in May 2014. Staff Survey results, reported at the June 10th school board meeting, identified a number of areas as “needing improvement” with the top suggestion being replacement of the aging Quesada Building used for P.E. classes, assemblies, ballroom dancing and art shows. Additional areas identified include technology, additional classroom and appropriate “break-out” space (utilized for small-group learning), inefficient and outdated kitchens on both campuses, larger and safer art shops and special education learning support service areas. The Staff Survey also identified “non-existent,” but relevant, facility areas such as a science lab, gymnasium and performing arts space, and an outdoor classroom. Given the range of projects identified, BSUSD Board Trustees are now turning to community members for help in charting a future. In order to address facility needs, especially on a larger scale, BSUSD would need to pursue a general obligation bond or tax referendum. GO bonds, an ad valorem tax on the assessed value of real property, must be approved by 55% of district voters. Proceeds can be used to fund capital construction and improvements under the guidance of a Citizen’s Oversight Committee, which is established to ensure funds are spent only on projects identified in the ballot measure. Board Trustee and FOFPAC Chair Cyrus Harmon states, “Community input is critical to developing a comprehensive and effective facilities planning process. So, please ‘make your voice heard’ and share your thoughts with us.” The survey is open until July 31, 2014. Results will be presented at a special meeting of BSUSD Trustees on Tuesday, August 5th at 1 p.m. in the Bolinas Campus Library. The large, school bus yellow postcards will be mailed to all Bolinas and Stinson Beach box holders this week. The postcards offer a brief introduction to the survey and direct residents to the online survey link. The survey can be accessed at www.bolinas-stinson.org/fofpac or directly at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BSUSDcommunity. Paper surveys will be available at Bolinas & Stinson Beach libraries. For questions, please contact FOFPAC committee member Christine Cunha at (415) 797-2106.