Teachers, trades welcome win for Jordan school district referendum

School district logo for April 11, 2023 bond referendum in Jordan

Adapted from the Minneapolis Labor Review, March 25, 2023

By Steve Share, Minneapolis Labor Review editor

JORDAN — With 876 “yes” votes and 660 “no” votes, voters in the Jordan school district approved a bond referendum April 11.

The vote result was welcome news for the district’s teachers union — Education Minnesota Jordan — and for local building trades unions, who worked along with a community group to help reach out to voters to urge support for the referendum.

The Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO endorsed the referendum.

The nearly $35 million bond referendum now will fund needed improvements for Jordan Elementary School and for Jordan High School, with the bulk of improvements at the elementary school.

“Education Minnesota Jordan members, along with a group of community members and other staff, participated in event tabling, making phone calls and a texting campaign. Additionally, we encouraged members to assist with getting district messaging out via social media,” reported Sara Sievers, Jordan resident, president of Education Minnesota Jordan and a special education teacher at Jordan High School.

The Laborers union took the lead among local building trades unions in helping to pass the referendum.

“LIUNA members volunteered, some for the first time, to call their neighbors in the Jordan area and were pleased most people were well-educated on the proposal and supported it,” said Adam Hutchens,  local marketing representative for the Laborers International Union of North America. “The Vote Yes committee did a great job connecting with the voters with calls, in-person events, and info flyers,” he added.

“We look forward to seeing family-supporting jobs and quality craftsmanship on this project, so the students and community can enjoy their facilities for years,” Hutchens said.

“A special thank you to our community for coming to the polls and supporting our students,” Sievers said. “Also, thank you to Education Minnesota and the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation for their support.”

In 2019, a bond referendum to build a completely new Jordan elementary school failed to pass.

Construction for the newly-approved school improvements is expected to begin in spring 2024.

See also:
> AFL-CIO endorses April 11 bond referendum to support Jordan public schools
(Minneapolis Labor Review, 3-25-23)