Monday’s Great Bend USD 428 Board of Education was the last board meeting scheduled for the current District Education Center (DEC) at 201 South Patton Road. By next month, the DEC will have moved to its new location at 1809 24th St., along with the Little Panthers Preschool.
The move is scheduled to commence on May 20, with offices opening at the new location on Monday, June 3.
During this transition, the public is advised to call ahead before visiting either location. The District Education Center can be reached at 620-793-1500, and Barton County Special Services can be reached at 620-793-1550. Buildings impacted include the DEC on Patton Road and the Washington Education Center at 2535 Lakin Ave.
Key Dates:
• May 20 – June 3: Moving dates for Administrative Offices/Staff
• May 24: Anticipated Phone and Internet Disruption
• June 3: USD 428 District Education Center and Barton County Special Services open at 1809 24th St.
“We ask for the community’s patience as we move to the new location,” Superintendent Khris Thexton stated in a news release. “The new building is worth the wait in many ways – consolidating our offices with BCSS under one roof will be a great convenience to our families and staff, as well as provide a facility that supports the operations of our district from payroll, IT, and curriculum, to school psychologists, social workers, special education, and more.”
Little Panthers Preschool
Additionally, preparations for the fall opening of Little Panthers Preschool, to be housed at the same location, will continue throughout the summer. A community Open House, Ribbon Cutting, and tours are scheduled for 4-6 p.m. on Aug. 1 to celebrate the completion of this project.
Beginning May 20, the District Education Center will operate on summer hours, Monday – Thursday, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Friday, 7 a.m. – noon
For more information about Great Bend Public Schools and the relocation, contact the District Education Center at 620-793-1500.
The next step
Assistant Superintendent John Popp said the current DEC and Lincoln Elementary School are getting new roofs because of the hail storm last July and Great Bend Middle School has some skylights that were damaged. With the completion of the new complex at 1809 24th St. and the Support Services Building at 625 East 10th St., the district will soon be ready to sell the Patton Road property, the former Food Services office at 2201 Broadway Ave. and the former maintenance building/bus barn at 2019 12th St.
Thexton said the district is using the old bus barn as a holding facility as equipment is being moved around but there is a lot of interest from potential buyers for all three properties. One option may be to set a reserve price and accept sealed bids.
“I would like to have everything sold by the fall and not have to heat the buildings,” he said.
Washington Education Center
Another building project being considered is tearing down the oldest part of the Washington Education Center at 2535 Lakin Ave. Thexton said there have been informal discussions with contractor McCown Gordan about this project.
“If we get rid of the old part of Washington, we’d have room to expand the building,” he said. “That’s our idea; it’s very early in the process.”
