On Jan. 30, the Great Bend USD 428 Board of Education adopted a resolution to hold a special bond election with four bond questions. While no date has been set for an election, the Great Bend Tribune continues to review plans for the proposal. 

Question 3 of the bond election will address parking and pickup/drop-off issues at Jefferson, Lincoln and Riley elementary schools in Great Bend.

In each case, according to USD 428 Public Information Officer Andrea Bauer, “It would alleviate the street congestion.”

Jefferson Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School have similar layouts. Both were built in 1958 with entrances on the south side. Both have their main entrances off of busy streets, with Jefferson facing 24th Street and Lincoln facing Broadway Avenue.

Both schools have a multipurpose room that serves as gym and cafeteria, with a stage area at one end. If the first question of the bond proposal passes, the district will add a new cafeteria/kitchen that doubles as a storm shelter to each building.

Two of the four questions on the ballot address elementary schools. Additions proposed for all schools include storm shelters. A summary of the possible costs are:

Question 1: Additions and renovations

Eisenhower Elementary, $1,678,200

Jefferson Elementary, $2,200,092

Lincoln Elementary, $2,133,389

Park Elementary, $2,746,232

This comes to $8.7 million for the elementary schools. Question one also includes $3.9 million for Great Bend Middle School, $7.8 million for Great Bend High School and almost $4.7 million for work on the Washington Early Education Center/Special Services Cooperative, for a total of just over $28 million. 

Question 2 seeks an additional $4.5 million for a sixth-grade wing at GBMS. 

Question 3 includes more additions and deals with drop-off, pickup and parking at

Jefferson, $1,688,722

Lincoln, $1,685,633

Riley, $1,297,411

This comes to a total of $4,671,766.

Question 4 seeks $1.8 million for another addition at GBHS.

Jefferson and Lincoln

If Question 1 of the USD 428 bond election passes, there will be similar additions at Jefferson and Lincoln: a new cafeteria/storm shelter, along with a kitchen and storage rooms, will be added to the north side of the buildings. 

The entrance and office space will be remodeled for controlled entry, where those coming in during the day have direct contact with staff. The district will address needed infrastructure improvements in electrical, lighting and plumbing throughout the buildings. This includes renovating restrooms to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The playgrounds will be upgraded.

If Question 3 also passes, there will be a new drop-off and pickup location/parking lot off of Adams Street for Jefferson and off of Cherokee Road for Lincoln.

There will be more new construction, with the addition of new controlled entries on the north side of the buildings. The new additions will house student support services such as office, administration and social workers. The current offices will be renovated into classrooms.