The Little Cypress-Mauriceville school district hopes to spend $33.8 million on a new high school, but voters in the district first need to approve a $40 million bond issue.

The bond issue election will be held on May 10 and the school district has set three information meetings for the public.

According to school district information, the owner of a $150,000 house with homestead exemption will pay an additional $258 a year in school taxes, or $21.51 a month, to pay for the bond issue. The owner of a $100,000 with homestead exemption will pay $160.54 a year more in taxes, or $13.38 a month.

Plans call for a new high school to be built at the site of the current high school on Hwy. 87. Newer buildings, like the band hall and field house, will stay, as will the auditorium.

The bond issue will include $3 million to improve technology and computer access for students throughout the district, plus $1.5 million for Mauriceville Elementary and $1.5 million for Little Cypress Elementary.

Both elementary schools are targeted to get road and traffic safety improvements, new kitchen equipment, hand-washing stations, plus updated fire alarm systems and air-conditioning systems.

The bond issue will pay for $443,000 at Little Cypress Intermediate for road and traffic safety improvements, kitchen equipment and air conditioning.

Plans also call for $270,000 at Mauriceville Middle School for temporary classrooms, kitchen equipment and fire alarm improvements, plus $230,000 at Little Cypress Junior High for fencing, air-conditioning in the cafeteria, kitchen equipment and aesthetic improvements.

A district-committee reviewed campuses and made the recommendations. The school board approved the bond election to include the new high school and other projects. More bond elections for other schools will be held in the future, school officials have said.

The first information presentation will be held Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at the Mauriceville Elementary Cafeteria. The presentation will be held after the school’s open house.

Tours of LC-M High School will be given on Monday, April 21, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. before the annual Guns and Hoses charity basketball game between the Orange Police Department and the Orange Fire Department. A presentation with question and answer period will be held at 6:30 p.m. that day at the high school auditorium.

Tours of the high school will again be given on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to noon, with a presentation in the auditorium at 10:30 a.m.

Early voting will be held at the district’s administration building at 6586 FM 1130 (Meeks Drive) beginning Monday, April 28, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, through Tuesday, May 6. Late hours for early voting at the location will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays April 29 and May 6.

Early voting will be held one day in Mauriceville, on Saturday, May 3, at Mauriceville Middle School, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Voters throughout the district may vote at either location.

Election day will be Saturday, May 10, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters living in polling boxes 3,6,7,8 and 9 will vote at Little Cypress Intermediate School on Allie Payne Road. Voters in boxes 15,16,31 and 32 will vote at Mauriceville Middle School.