Updates
November 11, 2024
On November 11, representatives from DLR updated the Board of Education on the proposed Bond resolution. They presented the results of the finalized, recommended scope of work (see picture). If approved, the Board of Education will consider ballot language in December 2024 for an April 2025 vote.
October 23, 2024
The final steps in preparing for a bond election start with the Facilities Committee reaching a consensus on a facility plan. We anticipate this will happen at the next Bond Planning Workshop on October 23.
The committee’s recommendation is set to be presented to the Board of Education at the November meeting as a future action item. Representatives from DLR, Piper Sandler, and the Bond Committee will be available at this meeting to address any questions. During this meeting, the Board will need to finalize the scope of projects, bond amount, and financial plan, providing crucial direction for work to be completed between November and December. Based on this direction, Piper Sandler will collaborate with Gilmore Bell (the district's bond legal counsel) and district administration to draft ballot language and prepare election documents.
Although the Board may have preferences for a specific election date or format, the Johnson County Election Office plays a key role in determining the final details. Preliminary discussions with Fred Sherman, Johnson County Election Commissioner, suggest that an April election, tentatively scheduled as a mail-in ballot election for April 1, 2025, is possible. This date aligns with the City of Lenexa's potential special election, helping to maximize efficiency for election officials and volunteers. The ideal timeframe for preparing for an April 1 election falls between December 2 and December 24, ensuring readiness for the tentative election date. For this timeline to be met, the Board must take official action at the December meeting to approve the resolution and ballot language calling for the April 1 election.
October 14, 2024
Director of Operations Mark DeWitt and Josh Erhart, PLA (DLR), shared highlights from the recent Build-a-Bond workshop. The workshop included community members identifying the priorities for a potential bond. In the presentation, viewers can see what was proposed for each level.
September 18, 2024
On September 18, representatives from DLR led the Community Feedback team through the "Build-A-Bond" exercise. The meeting focused on a bond proposal (that would potentially go to vote in Spring 2025) for the school district to fund various facility improvements and new construction projects. Representatives from various schools, work groups, and the community-at-large engaged in an interactive activity called 'Build-A-Bond' where they prioritized and selected projects to fit within a $100 million bond budget - with no mill levy increase. Key considerations included a new elementary school, renovating Sunflower Elementary into an early childhood center, safety and security upgrades across all schools, inclusive playgrounds at the elementary level, improvements to the high school commons and kitchen areas, orchestra room renovations/additions at middle schools, and a new district service center.
Now, DLR will further refine the bond scope based on the feedback received and conduct community surveys to gauge support for different scenarios. Please be sure to provide your input as to what the future of our district should look like when the time comes.
September 9, 2024
Mark DeWitt, Director of Operations, and Ian Kilpatrick, DLR Design Lead, shared an update related to the Bond planning process. After the August Bond workshop, ideas included:
Continue to explore the feasibility and logistics of converting an existing elementary school into an early childhood center
Evaluate the need for a new elementary school and identify potential locations and designs
Develop a comprehensive plan to enhance safety and security measures across district facilities, including cameras, access control, and safety film.
Assess playground conditions and develop a plan for upgrades, including turf, inclusive equipment, and improved accessibility.
Conduct a feasibility study for a new Educational Service Center to consolidate resources and improve efficiency.
Evaluate the high school's current and future needs, including space requirements, career and technical education programs, and athletic facilities.
Explore options for the Trails alternative education program and repurposing its current building.
Facilitate the 'build a bond' session to allow stakeholder groups to propose their desired scope for a potential bond referendum.
August 21, 2024
The DLR team led the Community Feedback team by defining guiding principles and facilitating sharing by the community and staff members. The meeting outcomes included defining ideal educational experiences and a long-term and short-term master plan.
May 15, 2024
The DLR team led the Community Feedback team through the building analysis results and what has been recorded as needs and wants at each building. Committee members provided feedback to further refine the lists.
April 4, 2024
The Gardner Edgerton School Board is embarking on a pivotal journey in our district's bond planning process, and we are reaching out to passionate advocates in the community, such as yourself, to contribute your invaluable insight and feedback.
Your perspective is crucial as we strive to enhance our educational facilities and programs to benefit our students and community. While we welcome the interest of all individuals willing to contribute, we regretfully inform you that we can only accommodate a maximum of 22 community advocates due to logistical constraints.
To ensure a diverse range of perspectives, we seek individuals from various levels within our community, including Chamber members, Gardner Gold representatives, high school/middle school/Elementary school parents, and parents with students in special education.
Your feedback and experience within the system uniquely qualify you as an ideal candidate to participate in this vital planning process. We believe your insights will significantly contribute to developing comprehensive and impactful strategies for our district's future.
Scheduled meetings will be held from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on the following dates:
April 17
May 15
August 21
September 18
October 23
Additional meetings, if required, will be scheduled for November 20 and December 11.
If you are committed to advancing education in our community and available for these meetings, we encourage you to apply and join this crucial endeavor. Your participation will play a significant role in shaping the future of education in Gardner Edgerton.
Community Group - District Bond Planning Team SIGN-UP (CLOSED).
Resources (Timeline, Presentations, etc.)
