Spring Hill Schools are growing. A demographer’s recent study projected that the increase in student enrollment we have been experiencing will continue for at least the next five years by adding an additional 1500 students to our district. With buildings at or approaching capacity, the Board of Education assembled a “Vision for Growth Committee” in the Spring of 2016 to study this rapid enrollment growth. The committee, comprised of over 40 residents from throughout the district, studied consultants’ reports, listened to teachers and worked closely with demographers, educational planners and district officials to better understand the challenges this enrollment growth is placing on our facilities, and our delivery of instruction to our children. They discussed and debated the options for the district to deal with this impending growth challenge. They determined that seven distinct projects were crucial to dealing with growth over the next five years. The original list of needs exceeded $100 million in cost, but these are the seven projects that the committee determined are the highest priority, yet within the financial parameters that patrons would likely support and simply could not be left out without education in USD 230 being affected. They then presented their findings and solutions to the Board of Education for consideration.
On June 6, 2016, the USD 230 Board of Education unanimously supported the Vision for Growth Committee’s recommendation, and called for a mail-ballot bond election on September 8, 2016 to fund the $82,400,000 solution proposed, of which, the State of Kansas will fund 30% of the principal and interest, if approved.
- Increase high school capacity to 1408 students by building an addition onto the existing Spring Hill High School, thus completing the high school master plan.
- Increase middle school capacity by 228 students by building a second middle school on land the district owns near Prairie Creek Elementary School.
- Increase elementary capacity by 528 students by building new elementary school similar to Wolf Creek Elementary School along the 179th street corridor in the NE area of USD 230. The bond includes funds to buy this land.
- Increase early childhood capacity to 192 students by renovating the existing Middle School North building into the new Early Childhood Center with 12 classrooms.
- Improve parity and equity at Spring Hill Elementary School by constructing a new gymnasium similar to those at Wolf Creek and Prairie Creek Elementary schools.
- Provide funding for maintaining existing district-owned buildings.
- Provide funding for maintaining instructional-related educational technology.
The bond issue passed on Election Day, September 8!
