Think Coeur d'Alene students can live without luxuries like air conditioning and bigger classrooms?

Take a walk and judge for yourself.

Before voters decide on granting the Coeur d'Alene School District a $32.7 million bond this August for dramatic infrastructure improvements, district officials are inviting the community to tour the five schools that will receive the bulk of the funding.

Walking the hallways, or lack thereof in some schools, will allow voters to decide if they agree on the recommended improvements, said Superintendent Hazel Bauman at the trustees' Monday night meeting.

"These tours are designed for the public," Bauman said.

The tours, which will also serve as open houses, are slated for the district's oldest schools that haven't seen significant improvements in decades.

The schedule for public visits is as follows:

* Winton Elementary: 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, July 14

* Sorensen Magnet School: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18

* Canfield Middle School: 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31

* Borah Elementary: 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 7

* Bryan Elementary: 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, August 9

Folks can scrutinize classrooms, halls, portable buildings and more, said district spokeswoman Laura Rumpler.

"They can get a sense of the age of the boilers and the HVAC systems, or the lack of HVAC systems, that some of the schools have," Rumpler said. "Our hope is that folks come see for themselves the condition of our schools. The buildings will speak for themselves."

The tours are only part of the district's budding campaign to promote the bond.

The district plans on sending out informational mailers to all registered voters in the district, Rumpler said, as well as providing informational newspaper ads.

A video, "Inside Coeur d'Alene Schools," discussing the bond and providing a visual tour of the above schools will be airing on the Coeur d'Alene TV Channel 19.

The video will also be available on the district website, www.cdaschools.org, in July.

Weekly updated public service announcements about the bond will also be aired on channel 19 and on the radio, Rumpler stated.

District spokespeople have been speaking to community, civic and business groups, as well, and are open to giving a 20-minute presentation to groups that request it.

"I hope this can be a kickoff to the start of getting out good and meaningful information," Rumpler said. "It's really our duty as a school district to encourage the community to participate and learn and ask good questions."

PowerPoint presentations have also been trotted out at recent trustees' meetings about each school's needs.

On Monday night, a slideshow of Bryan Elementary highlighted issues like several classrooms that have no hallways, so students troop through other classes to access areas of the school.

A presentation about Sorensen is scheduled for the 5 p.m. meeting on July 9 at the Midtown Center.

The school bond election is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 28.

A facts and figures sheet about the bond is available on the district website.

Bauman also promises to respond within 48 hours to questions sent via email to info@cdaschools.org, or mailed to her at Coeur d'Alene School District/311 North 10th St./Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814.

"I think the most important element we can do is to educate the public on the current conditions of our schools, and why we're asking for them to support this bond," Rumpler said.