Clarification: The first version of this story did not have the bond election date in it. That has been added. Also, the amount has been reduced to $7.6 million for the May 16 election. Hutch Post regrets the error.
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Curtis Nightingale with USD 309 told Hutch Post that the district has decided not to make moving the sixth grade out of the elementary schools an emphasis in their upcoming bond.
"The issue became that the cost to move the sixth grade ended up kind of becoming the focal point of the bond, because it was the highest priced ticket item, although it wasn't our priority," Nightingale said. "It was the highest priced ticket item and I think, as the board members started to have communication in the community, that was one of the questions that came up, was, is that really our number one goal? Is that our focus? It really wasn't."
The issue that prompted the thought is the continuing difficulties with fitting everyone in, particularly at South Hutchinson Elementary.
"What we're going to do instead is build an addition," Nightingale said. "We've got the space at South Hutch. It would be to build two additional classrooms on to South Hutch. What that will do, it will give us an opportunity to reformat how the building is set up and help to ease some of that."
The overall size of the bond is still at $7.6 million, just with different projects at the top.
"By removing that, it did free up money to allow us to do some other things and still get many of the things that you and I talked about previously accomplished," Nightingale said. "That included safety in our buildings, roofing, get that auditorium done. We also had a three year plan to do the science renovations out of our capital outlay. That would be a three year phase process, but if this bond were to pass, we could do it just all at one time."
The bond election is set for May 16. Voter registration closes April 25. Advance voting by mail begins April 26. Early In-Person voting at the Reno County Annex begins May 8.
Early Voting will end on May 15 at Noon.
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