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At the heart of every thriving community is a great school district. Here in McPherson, we’ve been blessed to have wonderful teachers, staff, parents, and patrons committed to providing the best possible educational experience for every child in our city. When it comes to the quality of our educational spaces and facilities, we have an opportunity to improve and make that experience even better. More than three years ago, the Board of Education recognized that updating our district buildings needed to be a priority. They commissioned an extensive facility study and brought together more than 60 members of the public and educational staff and students to review these findings and put together a plan that will meet the needs of our students well into the future. This is the plan you see before you today. In addition to addressing every need identified in the facility study, the timing of this plan is important. It allows our community to take advantage of record-low bond interest rates, meaning we’re able to address more needs with less overall cost. Couple that with the city sales tax partnership (which does not raise the rate, but rather, allows our property taxes to be less impacted), and it is truly a unique opportunity to set every student in McPherson up for the greatest possible success. We are excited to see the positive impact this plan will have on the 2400 students that call McPherson Public Schools their home. You have an opportunity to weigh in on this important community conversation by casting your ballot on Tuesday, June 8, and I hope you will. Superintendent Shiloh Vincent Over the course of the last few months, you’ve likely heard a lot about the upcoming (June 8) bond issue. What I think is important to remember is that this conversation is not new – in fact, it began more than three years ago, with a facilities study by Kraybill Associates. This comprehensive assessment reviewed all district buildings, and came to the following conclusions:
As a result, McPherson Public Schools hired DLR Group and Hutton to facilitate a long-term plan to address these needs, including a potential bond issue. To accomplish this, we brought together 30 community members and 30 educators and students to form a Visioning Committee to review the needs, identify priorities, and plan for the future. The results of over a year and a half of work by the Visioning Committee is the scope of work you see today – one that addresses all of our buildings, programming needs, and the future of educational spaces – and does so in a fiscally-responsible way, utilizing existing resources whenever possible, and building upon our proud traditions. I hope you will take the time to participate in this important community conversation via your vote on June 8. Superintendent Shiloh Vincent A well-rounded student who is prepared for whatever future they’ve planned is always the goal of McPherson Public Schools. For some, that means finding their greatness in the band room, or on the stage. It may mean mastering chemistry, but also excelling on the track. Whatever the passion, we want to have robust programming that equips them for success, while also fueling the things that make an educational experience whole.
This is what the Visioning Committee also had in mind for the scope of this bond proposal – a long term, fiscally responsible solution that would not only touch every building, but also provide opportunities in and out of the classroom for every student. Yes, athletics is a part of that discussion, and this scope. The conversation about transitioning out of the McPherson College facilities into our own spaces is not a new one. Not only would it provide additional opportunities for sports practices and games (including age separation that isn’t always possible now), but also marching band, and greater physical education programming. And in total, these components make up only 10 percent of the overall cost – the rest is dedicated academic space. It would also cover improvements to our fine arts programming, including needed updates in our performing arts center, while preserving the tradition of the space. Again, our goal is to best equip McPherson students for future success, and we believe all of these components speak directly to that. Don’t forget that we’ll be offering several open house opportunities to come and have your questions answered and learn more about the bond – including high school tours tomorrow, May 6. I hope you’ll be able to join, and if not, please feel free to reach out at any time. Superintendent Shiloh Vincent In 2019, when the Community Visioning Committee was assembled to study our facility needs and identify a possible bond solution, one of their first tasks was to establish the guiding principles and priorities for the work. This went beyond the bricks and mortar, to include the kind of district they wanted McPherson Public Schools to be, and what kind of opportunities they wanted for our children and students.
In addition to determining a comprehensive and long-term solution, the group also stressed the importance of fiscal responsibility, and putting together a plan that utilized existing resources. While the group explored a much more costly option of relocating the middle and high school to a new location, the Committee felt it was important to honor the tradition of the Roundhouse and performing arts center (while bringing them up to current and future needs). As such, the “campus” concept we’ve presented was born. As a part of this conversation, our bond team (DLR Group and Hutton) looked at this option for viability, performing a “test fit” of the site to ensure it had adequate space for buildings, parking, and the many activities we will see on the finished site. This also includes identifying any potential infrastructure needs and incorporating these costs into the final scope. What this means is that if there is work that needs to be done, including the efforts to ensure proper traffic flow, the cost of that will not impact the scope of the bond. In fact, it is already budget for – with 2.3% of the bond dollars allocated for necessary improvements, including roadwork for traffic flow onto the site. In addition, a comprehensive traffic study on the site is underway, and we plan to share those results in the coming weeks. Thank you for your interest in this project and the great questions that are being posed. It is an exciting time to be a Bullpup and due diligence will continue to be done as we build for the future of McPherson. Superintendent Shiloh Vincent As I’ve been having conversations with members of our community regarding the June 8 bond election, one question I hear a lot is “How long has this planning been going on – is this new?” I’m glad residents are asking this question, because it means you care about making sure we’ve done the work to put together the best plan for our district. And no, the bond election and planning are not new. In fact, the overall facilities conversation has been going on for more than two years now.
In 2018, following an assessment of all district buildings by Kraybill and Associates, the Board of Education discussed the need for a long-term plan, to include a potential bond issue. To help facilitate that process, the BOE hired architectural firm DLR Group and contractor Hutton. This team, with guidance from the district, created two visioning groups – one made up of a cross-section of community members, and one of educators and current students. Their goal was to review the building findings and put together a plan to ultimately present to the board and the public for approval. After more than a year of work, and a statistically valid community survey, the combined visioning group presented the plan you see today, and the board approved sending the scope of work to voters for consideration. If you’re interested in learning more about the committee or the content of the meetings, additional details are available on the dedicated bond website, www.usd418bond.com, within the FAQs section. I hope you’ll see it was a thoughtful and open process. Superintendent Shiloh Vincent On June 8, voters in McPherson will go to the polls to weigh in on the future of USD 418 facilities. The proposal, which was more than two years in the making, represents a comprehensive and long-term solution to our building needs, and would positively impact every student in our district for decades to come.
We know it’s an important decision, and to that end, we’ve scheduled several opportunities for the public to come and learn more, take a tour, and get your questions answered: Tuesday, May 4, 6:00 to 8:00 pm – McPherson High School Thursday May 6, 6:00 to 8:00 pm – McPherson High School Tuesday, May 11, noon to 1:00 pm – Virtual Presentation via Zoom and YouTube (which will be recorded and available online following the event) Friday, May 14, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm – McPherson Community Building (in conjunction with All School’s Day activities) With the exception of the virtual presentation, these events will be structured as an open house, with social distancing and the opportunity to speak with the construction and design experts and district leaders about the bond. The goal is to ensure every resident and voter in the district has an opportunity to get the facts about the proposal and have questions answered before Election Day. In addition to the community events, you’ll also find a great deal of information, including renderings, video tours, and frequently asked questions on our dedicated bond website, www.usd418bond.com. We’ll also be sending out informational mailers in the coming weeks, so please keep an eye on your mailbox. Lastly, every week you’ll see a column like this one, aimed at covering common questions about the bond. Thank you for taking time to learn about this project and the support you offer the students and staff of McPherson Public Schools. Superintendent Shiloh Vincent |
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