Dear Oyster River Families,

I am pleased to share that tax impact information is now available regarding the proposed capital plan for Mast Way and Moharimet elementary schools.

Tax Impact by Town
Based on a 3.44% interest rate, the projected increase per $1,000 of assessed value is:

Year 1 reflects interest-only payments, while Year 2 includes both principal and interest, which is why the second year shows a higher impact. This information has been made available online.

Project Details
On March 10, voters will be invited to consider a $9.827 million bond warrant for the expansion and renovation of both elementary schools. The guaranteed maximum price cannot be exceeded, providing budget certainty. If approved, construction is planned to be completed for the 2027-2028 school year.

This project addresses critical overcrowding and inadequate instructional spaces that currently undermine quality and equitable program delivery at both schools. The scope of work and design were developed through staff and teachers' input and scaled thoughtfully to stay under $10 million while maximizing the investment in our students' learning environments.

Learn More
We invite you to attend our upcoming school tours and listening sessions to see firsthand the facility challenges we're addressing. The schedule and registration information are available at www.orcsd.org/elementary-project.

Additionally, we are developing a video series that will provide further details about the project, which will be shared in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your continued engagement as we work together to ensure quality learning environments for all our students.

Respectfully,

Dr. Robert Shaps
Superintendent of Schools