Press Release | June 10, 2026

One year ago Black Butte School held an Open House to celebrate the completion of a major remodel and expansion to the historic school building in Camp Sherman, Oregon. A noteworthy aspect of the celebration in June 2025 was that the project was completed on time, a rare occurrence for construction of this scale, and especially considering it had an aggressive timeline. Now in 2026, the district is proud to announce the project was completed not only on time, but also under budget!

The renovation was made possible with the passing of a 2023 bond measure for $2M. Many taxpayers in Camp Sherman are retired and on fixed incomes, and with the cost carried by such a small number of residents, the district knew it was a heavy lift for many households. With voter approval of the bond, the residents showed how much they value Black Butte School and believe in the investment of our students. 

The bond was combined with a $2M matching state grant as part of the Oregon School Capital Improvement Matching (OSCIM) Program for $4M total. These funds brought new life to the 1950s schoolhouse and expanded the footprint with an additional classroom and extended learning area. The community is delighted that the exterior remains true to its original mid-century design and preserves this piece of history, while allowing the district to meet the learning needs of today’s students.  

With the conclusion of a successful project, the Black Butte School District Board of Directors has included a reduction in property tax levy for the local community in the 26/27 budget.  At the inception of the remodel, the District Board committed $400,000 from reserve as contingency.  A well maintained budget meant that the contingency was not needed, so the District Board has authorized a $400,000 special debt service prepayment. 

This early payment brings the outstanding debt to $1,490,000 and reduces lifetime payments by $323,982. Ultimately this means taxpayers can now expect to pay $.94/ $1000 assessed property value rather than the $1.23/ $1000 originally estimated on the levy. The Bond will also be removed from tax rolls 2 years earlier than previously scheduled. The district is grateful to the support from voters in passing the bond and very happy to return dollars back to the community.

See related article in the The Nugget Newspaper.

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