Improvement Projects
Proposed Fiber Optic Internet to Camp Sherman Community
Over the last decade Black Butte School has been working to improve the broadband internet capacity at the school and throughout the District. During the 2020-21 school year, Black Butte School received funding from the Oregon Department of Education to support a Comprehensive Distance Learning program in response to COVID-19. Some of those funds were used to fund the Broadband Needs Assessment. Black Butte School District contracted with Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council to conduct the research and write the report. The report provides a picture of the school and community's broadband access and needs. The primary goal of the needs assessment is to serve as a supplemental report to be incorporated into a future Jefferson-county-wide broadband assessment and feasibility study. A secondary goal is to utilize this assessment to support future Camp Sherman-specific grant applications or partnerships with internet service providers who may be prepared to make an investment in expanding access to the Camp Sherman community before the Jefferson County work has been completed.
Click here to read the Black Butte School Community Broadband Needs Assessment
New Playground
Black Butte School has been working on creating a new playground for the school since Winter 2019. Because the playground lies partly on United States Forest Service land, the District has been required to go through a lengthy permitting process to ensure no damage is done to archaeological resources. So far, the playground has been removed and the District has received final approval from USFS to complete the installation of the new equipment. The school is collecting contractor bids to complete the installation. The basketball court was resealed in August 2021. See a design of the proposed playground below.
The Parent Teacher Organization has been fundraising for the playground also since 2019. So far the PTO has raised over $40,000, and will continue fundraising until the playground has been completed!! The Ford Family Foundation awarded the school an additional $25,000 grant. Any outstanding funds are committed from the Black Butte School District General Fund. For more information about fundraising you can visit the website: www.supportbbs.com
