Overall summary
The Spring Hill Schools Board of Education approved its consent agenda and the Spring Hill Education Foundation flagpole project during its Aug. 10 meeting. The board also received updates on bond construction, summer technology projects and the district's year-end financial position. All seven board members participated in the recorded votes.
Public participation
Two parents addressed the board regarding the use of pronouns in Spring Hill High School student publications and the 2025-26 yearbook.
Kimberly Charity said her daughter had reported that students in the publications program were expected to use they/them pronouns and could lose points if they did not follow that practice. Charity presented four yearbooks to the board and questioned how the practice had developed, what adult oversight had been provided, and whether families had been adequately informed. She said a Kansas Open Records Act request would be submitted seeking documentation about the development, approval and implementation of the practice.
Chip VanHouden said yearbooks should preserve students' identities and experiences, and argued that applying a single set of pronouns to all students conflicts with allowing students to identify as they choose. He asked the board to correct the issue and keep the district focused on student learning.
Board member Anna Baker thanked the speakers and community members who attended. Because the matter was not listed as a discussion item, the board did not discuss or act on it. Baker said she would request a future public board discussion about how the decisions were made, how parent concerns were handled, what options may be available to affected families and what procedures should govern future student publications.
Consent agenda
The board unanimously approved the consent agenda. Items identified during the meeting included:
Meeting minutes and personnel items.
The Title III consortium with Greenbush.
Items related to the elementary additions, HVAC work and the Spring Hill High School career and technical education addition and commons expansion.
A HopSkipDrive transportation contract.
Renewals or licenses for Edmark, the SMARTS program and Q-interactive.
An RBT contract, a renewed contract with First State Nursing and Q360 Workforce Solutions.
Core Value Award
Michelle Rohr, a nutrition services cashier at Spring Hill Elementary School, received a Core Value Award in the areas of world-class staff and supportive environment. Jaci Dalton said Rohrer learns students' names, makes children feel special and brings positivity to the kitchen and school community.
Bond construction update
Executive Director of Operations Marc Williams reported that the district's $60 million bond program is projected to be approximately $7.3 million under budget based on current estimated or actual project costs. He said the savings will give the board an opportunity to discuss additional eligible projects or uses of bond funds.
Elementary additions
The additions at Prairie Creek, Timber Sage and Spring Hill elementary schools received occupancy clearance and were ready for the first day of school. Flooring, classroom furniture and major interior work were complete, with only limited cosmetic and landscaping work remaining. Williams said the district hoped to hold community open houses at all three additions in September.
The district also continued planning additional playground asphalt at Spring Hill Elementary School. The board previously authorized the work at a cost not to exceed $110,000, and Williams said he expected the final cost to be lower. The goal was to open the area to students by mid-September. Approximately $300,000 remained in the elementary-additions owner contingency, and more than $283,000 remained from the building-responder-system allocation after the systems were purchased and installed without tariff costs.
HVAC and roofing
All new HVAC units had been placed, connected and were operating at Spring Hill Elementary School, Spring Hill Middle School and the Early Learning Academy. Ceiling work associated with moving ductwork below the roof was also completed. The HVAC contingency had just under $900,000 remaining.
Roof work at Spring Hill Middle School was nearing completion. Work at Spring Hill Elementary School was further behind, and the contractor shifted work hours to 4 to 11 p.m. to avoid interrupting school. Williams said recent rain had produced only a few minor leak locations and contractors responded when issues were found. He also confirmed the buildings would remain cool and comfortable as school began.
High school CTE and commons project
The district held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Spring Hill High School CTE addition and commons expansion earlier that day. Work completed or underway included demolition near the commons and greenhouse, installation of a temporary interior wall, replacement of a sewer line to increase capacity, relocation of a temporary fire connection, and electrical work serving the addition.
The temporary wall reduced space in the commons, and high school staff were adjusting lunch table placement. The district planned to monitor lighting once students returned and add temporary lighting if needed. Technology staff also managed planned power shutdowns and rerouted server-room connections to a generator. Williams reported that just over $1 million remained in the CTE and commons contingency at that point.
Summer technology projects
Director of Technology Billy Terry said the technology team worked on nearly every major district system during the summer. Projects included:
Deploying 250 iPads to bring elementary schools to comparable device levels, cycling graduating seniors' devices to incoming sixth-graders and preparing spare devices for enrollment growth or repairs.
Cleaning, updating and replacing Windows desktop computers, including new equipment for classrooms in the elementary additions.
Moving Skyward to a new database server as part of a required security upgrade.
Relocating the district's fiber infrastructure to clear the site for the high school CTE addition while coordinating district staff, contractors and telecommunications providers.
Replacing the security-camera archive system, reducing server CPU usage from approximately 100% to about 20%, and creating room for growth.
Replacing the district network firewall on its five-year cycle.
Preparing for the state's transition from the KIDS data system to KEDS, including mapping hundreds of data fields.
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Joshua Robinson said the KEDS transition presents an additional challenge because the district uses both Skyward and PowerSchool, whereas most districts use a single student information system. District staff were working with the Kansas State Department of Education but had not yet received a clear answer on how data from both systems would be handled.
Year-end financial report
Director of Business and Finance Nathan Holder reviewed financial results through June 30, the end of fiscal year 2026. General fund and local option budget revenue and spending finished close to projections. The general fund was spent to zero as required, while transfers from the general fund and local option budget helped strengthen the special education fund for fiscal year 2027.
Holder highlighted several fund results and considerations:
Debt-service expenses were approximately $12.2 million in fiscal year 2026 but are expected to exceed $20 million in fiscal year 2027 following the 2025 bond issue and refunding.
The capital outlay fund grew from slightly more than $2.9 million to more than $5.5 million, even after processing additional transportation invoices.
The bond fund earned approximately $1.9 million in interest during the year. Holder projected that total interest added to the bond fund could conservatively reach about $3 million after fiscal year 2027.
Bond proceeds are expected to be substantially spent within three years, with a benchmark of spending approximately 90% within two years. Because projects are currently about $7.3 million under budget and the fund has earned interest, the board will need to discuss eligible uses during fiscal year 2027.
Nutrition services ended with a balance of $133,860.58 after expenses exceeded revenue by approximately $253,500. The district will monitor the fund and could use idle-interest transfers if needed.
The special reserve fund, which is tied to employee medical claims, continued to outperform expectations. The district hoped to hold health insurance premiums steady for calendar year 2027 after holding them steady in 2026.
Nearly $200,000 was added to the student materials fund after its balance had fallen below $100,000. The district also strengthened balances in special education and the four-year-old at-risk preschool program.
Holder said the district made progress rebuilding fund balances but remains lean. He recommended that the board consider increasing the $500,000 contingency fund in future years. That amount is less than 1% of the approximately $59.8 million spent from the general and local option budget funds and less than one-half of 1% when other operating funds are included. Board members Jon Chitwood and Ted Beauchamp supported continued attention to a stronger rainy-day reserve.
Holder also clarified that unused bond proceeds and bond premium funds may be spent on approved bond projects or transferred to the bond and interest fund for debt service. They may not be transferred to capital outlay, textbooks, or special education.
Action Item
The board unanimously approved the Spring Hill Education Foundation flagpole project. The recommendation noted that the request had not changed following the board's July 27 meeting.
Board and superintendent reports
Hull announced that Spring Hill was expected to host a statewide Special Olympics softball tournament during the weekend of Sept. 19. He said approximately 24 teams and 300 athletes were expected and that the event would require substantial volunteer support.
Board Vice President Steve Miller reported meeting with a community member about transition opportunities for students with special needs after they leave the school system. Robinson said the district's special education staff address transition planning through students' individualized education programs, but a transition specialist could be an area for future program expansion.
Robinson thanked Life Springs Church and the Spring Hill Education Foundation for the annual Support Our Students event, which provided school supplies, haircuts, physicals and other services. He also recognized staff and construction partners for completing the elementary additions and HVAC work on a short timeline. He reminded families that the first day of school was Aug. 17 and asked for patience as transportation routes and other first-day operations settled into place
Board Calendar
Baker said she would submit a formal request for a future board discussion about the yearbook situation. An update on IXL is planned for the September work session, and another previously submitted topic is expected to include an executive session during that work session.
Board member Doug Hull asked about an upcoming KSDE workshop concerning devices and screens. Robinson said district staff were monitoring the workshop and its possible effect on district decisions. He also said staff was considering moving the annual assessment report from October to September and tentatively targeting October for a work session to discuss possible future uses of the remaining bond funds.
Executive session
The board unanimously voted to enter a 30-minute executive session to discuss personnel matters of non-elected personnel and protect the privacy interests of identifiable individuals. The motion included board members, the assistant superintendent and other administrators as requested. The board later returned to open session and adjourned without additional recorded action.The