The St. Paul School Board is expected at its meeting Tuesday night to approve spending just more than $15 million on capital bonding improvements and enhancements.
The money will go toward such projects as new signs, security systems, playground equipment and interactive whiteboards.
A new main entrance at Como Park Elementary School is the most expensive item at a cost of $1.4 million. More than $600,000 would go toward an office expansion and installing storage cubbies at Mississippi Elementary, and $593,590 would be allocated to Como Park High School to build additional tennis courts and install teacher storage cabinets and shelving.
Schools were allowed to submit requests from a list of options; schools generally received their top three priorities.
In addition to a districtwide initiative to upgrade security systems and install digital temperature-control units, schools also could ask for money to fund a "single proposal" not listed as one of their three top priorities. Schools submitted 61 "single proposals" and 29 were recommended.
The $15 million in capital bonding money is separate from the general operating fund and cannot be used for daily operations.
Overall, the district faces a multimillion-dollar deficit.
TIM HARLOW
