ANKENY, Iowa — A proposed $130 million bond would add new facilities and more space at both Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial Schools if passed with the required 60% vote on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Samantha Aukes, Chief Communications Director for the Ankeny School District, said the bond is being proposed as a forward-thinking investment to benefit students in the district and the community.

Aukes said if the general obligation bond were approved, it would maintain the current debt service levy in Ankeny that currently sits at $2.59.

The main project included in the proposed plan includes building an Innovative Hub, a new building focused on providing students with post-secondary programming to students in both schools in the district.

The Ankeny School District currently offers programming in four of the six career clusters as defined by the Iowa Department of Education. The two that they are lacking include health sciences and agriculture. If the bond were to pass and the Innovative Hub be built, both areas would be covered in the new building.

“So we’re looking to expand our post-secondary programming so that when an Ankeny student graduates and walks across the stage, they are prepared for what comes next, whether that’s the workforce, additional training or college,” Aukes said.

Aukes said that despite the fact that no programming is currently offered, health sciences is one of the biggest career interests for Ankeny students.

Other projects are also planned out in the proposal. The first includes additional indoor practice facilities that will have a turf and track at both high schools. The new space will also be used for physical education classes.

The fine arts spaces in each high school will also be getting major upgrades. This includes more classrooms for fine arts and additional storage areas. The audio and lighting in both schools’ auditoriums would also be replaced.

Both high schools would get a turf baseball and softball field. Aukes said that with the rain that Iowa receives during those seasons, a turf field would be more efficient, and teams can play on the field much sooner after it rains compared to a dirt field.

The final component would make needed updates to the east side of Ankeny Stadium, where both Ankeny and Ankeny Centennial compete in football and track and field.

For a look at all of the proposed changes and improvements included in the general obligation bond, click here for information from the Ankeny School District.