RANCHO SANTA FE — Future students at Rancho Santa Fe’s R. Roger Rowe School will enjoy new buildings, state-of-the-art science labs, music rooms and performance space. At recess, there’ll be more space to play in.

Residents overwhelmingly supported the remodel of the school when they went to the polls Feb. 5. Proposition E, the Rancho Santa Fe School District Rowe Renovation Measure, passed with 71.6 percent of the vote. The nays were 28.4 percent. The measure allows for a $34-million bond.

“We’re thrilled and elated,” said Allison Stratton, co-chair of Excellence in Education, the organization that promoted the proposition. “It’s a win for everyone in the community and our children.”

Stratton said that the landslide victory signifies that “this is the right thing to do at this time.”

Voters of all ages had positive reactions to the proposition, in an informal exit poll taken for Rancho Santa Fe News.

“It’s not too much money to remodel,” said Mike Djekich, 76. “But too much to build a new school. We already have too many taxes.”

Djekich was referring to two earlier bond measures for the construction of a new school. Each of those measures failed.

Betsy Heller has three children at Rancho Elementary. She voted “yes” on Proposition E, but voted against the previous two bonds.

“The first was too much of a blank check,” Heller said. “I voted against the second one because of lack of good access and it was a fire hazard.”

In November 2002, voters refused a proposed $46-million bond measure that would have allowed for the purchase of land and building of a school on Del Dios Highway. In June 2006, residents voted against a $44.5-million bond measure to buy land and build at Aliso Canyon Road and Via Del Charro.

“The other sites were ridiculous,” said a woman, who preferred not to be quoted by name, as she exited the Village Church polling place. “It’s important,” she said of Proposition E. “There’s too much overcrowding.”

Alex Kaiser, whose wife volunteers at R. Roger Rowe School, also voted for Prop. E at the Village Church polling location. Kaiser, in his 40s, has two children in the Rancho Santa Fe School District and two in high school outside the district.

Not everyone was enamored with the upgrade measure, however.

“No way!” said a man in his 50s as he exited the polls at First Church of Christ Scientist. The real estate agent, who asked that his name not be published, said, “It’s not like the buildings are hindering the students. They’re getting good grades.”

R. Roger Rowe School, located on La Granada, is the Covenant’s only public school. It has about 800 elementary and middle school students. They are housed in buildings constructed between 1955 and 1992. The success of Proposition E will provide for construction of two- and three-story classroom buildings, which will enable administrators to get rid of 17 portable classrooms.

Under the proposition, the school district is to appoint a Citizens’ Oversight Committee to do financial audits.

The remodeling process is expected to begin in summer 2009 and be completed after winter break of 2010.