Bond work continues
September 05, 2006
The 2006-2007 school year is well underway, and this year is especially exciting in our district. A new elementary school has started to take shape on 159th St. just north of 21st St. The school is set to open in Fall 2007. The district has purchased land on 21st St. near 143rd St. for the next elementary, and has also purchased land east of Andover Road and south of Kellogg for the third elementary school. Both of these schools are scheduled to open in Fall 2008.
These new school buildings and the other bond work (new classrooms at Cottonwood Elementary School and Andover High School, the renovation of Robert M. Martin and Meadowlark elementary schools into one school, a competition gym, weight room and wrestling rooms at AHS, athletic facility improvements at the central campus and district stadium [including parking, press box, concession stand and more], as well as safety and security improvements districtwide) are more than just buildings. These are living institutions of learning, where students and staff will learn and grow.
They are a shared commitment between the community and the Board of Education to continue the emphasis on small schools and small class sizes, and to build on the foundation of excellence in education that has already been laid. They are the result of a $39.68 million bond issue the community supported last September by a nearly 3 to 1 margin.
The work done through this bond issue also represents many firsts for the Andover school district. The new elementary site on 21st near 143rd St. represents the first time the district has owned property in Sedgwick County. Nearly half of students in the district live in Sedgwick County.
The third elementary school will represent the first time the district has owned land south of Kellogg. The first two elementary schools are part of planned developments—an exciting opportunity for the district and developers alike, and a great benefit for homeowners in the area. The third elementary school will be part of a development that includes a new YMCA.
Watch the "Bond Progress" section of the web site for continued updates on bond work.
