HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson Public Schools (USD 308) leaders joined local radio host Glenn Grunwald this week to share updates on both fall athletics and the proposed bond issue that could reshape the district’s facilities.
Superintendent Dr. Dawn Johnson and Athletic Director Steve Kappenman highlighted the district’s busy fall season and provided insight into plans for a new middle school site that would be part of the upcoming bond proposal.
Strong fall sports season
Kappenman said it’s been an exciting fall across Hutch High and the middle schools.
“Our boys soccer team is finishing up their regular season, volleyball had a fantastic year at 22–13, and football’s sitting at four and two heading into a big game at Newton,” Kappenman said.
He also praised freshman runner Christian Medina for his impressive cross-country season and recognized tennis player Laney Hagley, who qualified for the state tournament after battling through a rain-soaked regional in Salina.
Kappenman added that the district’s unified bowling program—which pairs special-needs students with their peers—earned second place at its first meet and recorded the highest score in school history. “It’s the greatest display of sportsmanship you’ll ever see,” he said.
At the middle school level, both HMS 7 and HMS 8 volleyball teams finished second in league play, and the eighth-grade boys cross country team also brought home a runner-up title. “The future looks really bright for Salthawk athletics,” Kappenman said.
Planning for future facilities
Dr. Johnson addressed community questions about the proposed USD 308 bond issue, which includes construction of a new middle school. She explained that finding adequate land within the district’s 14-square-mile boundary has been challenging.
“When we looked for 25 to 40 acres, we found there’s really only one site available within district boundaries—property we already own near 23rd and Severance,” Johnson said. “That land was actually purchased years ago with a middle school in mind.”
Because of surrounding housing, Johnson said expanding the existing HMS 7 and HMS 8 sites wasn’t feasible. The district also explored the former Atrium property but found it too small due to the K-61 corridor cutting through it.
If the bond is approved, the athletic fields now at 23rd and Severance would be relocated. Kappenman said plans call for new baseball and softball fields at Stremel Park, just north of Hobart-Detter Field, and a reconfigured soccer layout near Don Michael Field, keeping practices close to existing locker rooms and lighting.
“This would actually make logistics easier for our students and visiting teams,” Kappenman noted. “Right now, we bus kids all over town for practices and games. Consolidating facilities makes a lot of sense.”
Johnson clarified that athletic facilities account for less than 2% of the proposed bond amount. “The vast majority—98%—goes directly to educational improvements,” she said, noting that additional funding for field work would come from the district’s capital outlay budget.