August 25, 2025
View agenda & past meeting minutes
Overall Summary
The Spring Hill Board of Education held its regular meeting on August 25, 2025. Board members present included Jon Chitwood, Sharon Mitchell, Nicole Melius, Anna Baker, April Horne, and Doug Hull. Keith Ewing was not present. The meeting featured a budget workshop presented by Director of Business and Finance Nathan Holder, as well as recognition of student achievements, an overview of the district’s crisis management plan, and approval of the upcoming budget and revenue-neutral hearings.
Good News, Recognitions, and Announcements
Spring Hill High School Band: Student leaders expressed gratitude for the band’s new uniforms, highlighting their improved comfort, versatility, and representation of the program at performances and competitions.
Woodland Spring Middle School Yearbook Staff: The 2024–2025 edition of Life Between earned top honors from the Kansas Scholastic Press Association, including “All-Kansas” distinction in design and photography. Sponsors Dylan Schneider and Jessica Gazzano, along with student staff, were recognized for their achievement.
Budget Workshop
Director of Business and Finance Nathan Holder led the evening with an in-depth budget workshop, providing a high-level overview of the district’s finances for Fiscal Year 2025 and beyond.
Holder reviewed cash balances across major funds, noting stability in some areas and challenges in others. He highlighted the at-risk fund, which carries a higher balance than the state prefers and will need to be drawn down carefully in future years to avoid overreliance on recurring expenses. The capital outlay fund decreased slightly, which Holder said underscores the importance of preserving funds for long-term needs such as roofs, parking lots, and sidewalks rather than relying on future bond issues. The food service fund continues to face pressures as labor and food costs rise faster than revenues, reflecting a statewide trend.
Enrollment growth continues to shape the district’s financial picture. Spring Hill has experienced steady growth since 2020, despite many districts across the country facing declining numbers. Enrollment for 2025–2026 is projected at approximately 4,200 students, although early counts are slightly behind RSP & Associates’ projections. Holder emphasized that continued growth creates both opportunities and costs, particularly in staffing and facilities.
The district’s mill levy trends were reviewed, with Spring Hill’s levy declining slightly this year in line with the pledge made during the May 2025 bond election. However, Holder stressed that the district’s bond and interest levy remains the largest driver of overall mill rates compared to neighboring Johnson County districts, due to the rapid expansion of facilities in the past decade. He underscored the importance of paying down debt directly when possible rather than refinancing, to allow assessed valuation growth to cover future obligations.
State aid formulas also impact local finances. Aid percentages for the Local Option Budget, capital outlay, and pre-2015 bond issues all declined this year, equating to a local revenue loss of more than $1 million. Holder explained that while increased assessed valuation helps offset the decrease, the district must remain vigilant in long-term planning.
Finally, Holder reviewed the Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) notice and proposed budget hearing set for September 8, 2025. While the district’s proposed levy is about five mills above the RNR calculation, the overall levy will remain slightly below last year’s level, maintaining the district’s promise not to increase rates following the 2025 bond approval.
Safety and Crisis Management
Director of Communication and Engagement Scott Peavey presented updates to the district’s crisis management plan. The plan continues to align with national safety standards and emphasizes protocols such as visitor check-in procedures, building response teams, and the use of Centegix alert badges. The district also continues to train staff and students in ALICE protocols, while reviewing opportunities to revisit and refine safety practices.
Executive Director of Operations Marc Williams addressed building safety in light of upcoming construction projects, noting that tornado shelter and evacuation plans will be updated to accommodate construction zones. Contractors will be required to follow strict safety protocols while on school grounds.
Action Items
Approval of Agenda – Motion passed unanimously.
Consent Agenda – Including minutes, personnel reports, payroll and claims, contracts, and renewals. Approved unanimously.
Action Item 10.01 – Approval of Notice of Budget Hearing and Revenue-Neutral Hearing. Motion passed unanimously.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Dr. Link Luttrell reported that district enrollment as of August 15 stood at 4,038 students in grades K–12, an increase of about 70 students compared to last year. While the district trails slightly behind RSP & Associates’ projections, growth continues on an upward trend.
Dr. Luttrell also shared that Spring Hill High School was ranked #17 in Kansas in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools list. This means the high school is now among the top 5% of schools in Kansas and in the top 20% nationwide. He credited careful planning, teacher collaboration, and the hard work of students and staff for this achievement.
Board Member Reports
Board members shared observations from school visits during the first days of the 2025–2026 school year, praised community partnerships, and expressed support for ongoing safety and facilities discussions.
Executive Session
The board entered executive session to discuss personnel matters of non-elected personnel. No action was taken following the executive session.
The next Board meeting on September 8, 2025 will include a Revenue Neutral and Budget Hearing beginning earlier in the evening:
Revenue Neutral Hearing at 5:15 p.m.
Budget Hearing at 5:30 p.m.
📄 View the 08.25.2025 meeting agenda on BoardDocs
📝 View the official minutes from the 8.11.2025 Board Meeting