COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Last year, voters in Widefield School District 3 approved an $88 million bond and a $5 million mill levy override aimed at repairing aging schools and improving learning environments across the district.
Now, as students prepare to return for the 2026-27 school year, district leaders say work is already underway at several campuses, including North Preschool and Pinello Elementary.
The bond was approved after district leaders identified 14 schools needing major repairs, including aging heating and cooling systems, outdated infrastructure and other building concerns.
“We want to say thank you to the voters,” said Widefield School District 3's Chief Operations Officer Dave Gish. “It has been a... huge benefit to our district.”
North Preschool renovation addresses termite damage
At North Preschool, crews are working through a major renovation after the building experienced termite damage.
District leaders say the project required removing damaged materials and rebuilding portions of the school with updated materials designed to prevent future issues.
“North needed a full renovation,” said Gish. “It had termites, so we had to take out all the bad wood that was inside and replace it with termite-proof materials.”
The renovation is one of the largest projects included in the bond.
Gish said the district began work at North during spring break and has already completed the first phase of the project while moving into the next stage.
“The first and most important one for us was the North renovation,” said Gish. “We needed school early, and so that one's been going since spring break.”
Pinello Elementary gets new windows, doors and air conditioning
At Pinello Elementary, a 63-year-old building, crews focused on exterior improvements and adding air conditioning. The school previously did not have air conditioning, something district leaders said impacted students and staff during warmer months.
“Pinello did not have air conditioning, and so we wanted to make sure all of our sites have air conditioning,” said Gish. “At the same time, they had very outdated doors, so they got new windows and exterior doors.”
Gish said improving classroom conditions is about more than comfort.
“Teachers need to be able to focus,” he said. “If classrooms are 80-something degrees, it’s hard for everybody to focus.”
The Pinello project cost about $3 million, according to district leaders.
District says HVAC upgrades are underway across schools
Beyond North Preschool and Pinello Elementary, the district says multiple schools are receiving heating and cooling upgrades.
“We’ve been very busy behind the scenes,” said Gish. “A lot of HVAC has been put in at our schools. We had a lot of schools that were still super hot. We’re controlling that climate now.”
By the end of the summer, district leaders expect about $37 million of the $88 million bond to be committed to projects. The district says future projects include HVAC and electrical upgrades at Widefield High School, as well as renovations at Sproul Junior High.
Gish said the district is hoping to complete the bond projects ahead of the original five-year timeline.
“We’re hoping to get closer to the three to four-year mark to get things finished versus all the way out to five,” he said.
District promises transparency with taxpayer dollars
With millions of dollars being invested into school buildings, district leaders say keeping taxpayers informed is a priority.
“It’s on our website,” said Gish. “We try to provide updates and as much transparency as we can so that they all know that their tax dollars are going to work.”
Gish said some of the biggest changes may not be obvious from the outside.
“The hard part is they don’t see a lot when they drive by,” he said. “But if they’re inside, that’s where you’re going to be able to see and feel that difference.”
One voter says the investment is about the community
Abigail Mark voted in favor of the bond, even though her child is not yet old enough to attend school in the district. A former teacher, Mark said she understands how important school buildings are for students and staff.
“I did see that it seems like they really needed that money,” said Mark. “I was sad and worried. It sounded like a lot of buildings were totally in disrepair and they hadn’t been invested in in a while.”
Mark said investing in schools benefits the entire community.
“I think it’s important to be community-minded,” she said. “We care about these kids and their future.”
She said students deserve access to safe, well-maintained learning environments.
“I would love to see the kids in this community thrive,” said Mark. “Those kids deserve all the access that the kids in D20 (Academy School District 20) and D49 (School District 49) have.”
What will the bond cost homeowners?
The district says the final estimated tax impact of the bond is about $5.29 per year for every $100,000 of home value.
District leaders say construction will continue in phases as the remaining projects move forward.
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