Measure E Co-chair Christy Smith, a Newhall School District board member, details the merits of the bond.

Supporters of a proposed $60 million bond measure on the November ballot gathered Thursday in the historic Newhall Elementary School auditorium to kick off their campaign.

The bond, Measure E, would upgrade school facilities in the Newhall School District. It’s technically an extension of an earlier bond approved by voters in 1999, so property tax assessments for homeowners in the district would remain at current levels if the new measure passes.

Voters throughout the school district, which serves Newhall, Stevenson Ranch and most of Valencia, will see the measure on their Nov. 8 ballot. Unlike the prior Measure K, which needed and received a two-thirds vote to pass, Measure E requires only a 55-percent majority.

Measure E would provide dollars to make major technology upgrades on every campus. It would replace portable classrooms with permanent buildings; on older campuses it would rehabilitate deteriorating roofs, lighting and electrical systems.

The improvements would also increase energy efficiency, saving the district money on utilities. It would turn the old Newhall School auditorium –  currently used for storage – into a performance venue that to be used  by students and community groups.

Superintendent Marc Winger said the measure will benefit residents with or without children in district schools. He said the bond funds will enable the district to continue providing a quality education, as reflected in standardized test scores – which makes the community a desirous place to live, bolstering property values.