McPHERSON, Kan. — The McPherson USD 418 Board of Education took a deeper dive Monday night into one of three options for facility options that have been presented to patrons in recent meetings, and a timeline on what it would take to construct them.
Duane Cash from incite Design Services reviewed for the board a somewhat more refined cost projection on a plan that would construct a new classroom area and make other improvements at the current High School, convert the present Eisenhower Elementary School into a middle school with two sections, one for the 5th and 6th grades and the other for 7th and 8th grades, and various renovations at the other three elementary schools.
In the current thought, Lincoln and Roosevelt would be K-4 attendance centers, with pre-K programs and district offices to be at the current Washington School. Cost options for this concept range from a low of $98 million to a high end of $120 million, depending on other things that could be added.
Cash discussed a number of ideas that could be looked at as part of what’s been referred to as Option 2, including a new two-story classroom area on the east side of the McPherson High School Roundhouse.
Cash noted one of the ideas being looked at would involve changes to the shop areas on the north side of the roundhouse, which could include completely filling a low area that would eliminate any flooding potential such as what happened to the Roundhouse over the summer. This would also re-do the food service area and construct a media center that would adjoin the administrative office and provide for an enlarged Activity Center.
Also discussed briefly was the idea of either purchasing the currently leased bus barn or constructing a new facility, which could house maintenance operations now at the former Park School site. Another option the board discussed was possibly splitting Option 2 into two parts, one for the High School project which under the lowest cost option has an estimated $51 million cost, and one for the other projects.
The Board will continue discussions at a special meeting Tuesday, Nov. 25.
