Progress reports: Bond 2007
The bond that voters approved in November 2007 includes several various projects that will benefit students in all grade levels and content areas. As progress is made, updates will be posted on this page.
For details about what has been planned, visit the projects page on the bond section of the district website.
August 2010
As school begins, the construction projects included in the 2007 bonds are coming to a close. The second full year of bond construction included projects on the Eudora High School campus: a new technical education center and activity stadium, as well as an auditorium and science room additions at EHS.
“We are very proud to be completing each construction project that was proposed to voters in 2007,” said Superintendent of Schools Don Grosdidider. “We have faced challenges in both construction and the financial markets – the kinds of things that nobody could have predicted when we first planned the bond. But the Board of Education has shown great leadership during this time because the decisions weren’t always easy, but they were absolutely necessary to deliver to voters what was promised.”
The Eudora-De Soto Technical Education Center will house the career and technical programs that previously were spread out in aging facilities in both Eudora and De Soto. The new building allows Eudora students to conveniently attend these courses during the school day and appropriately upgrades the building and equipment for the programs.
The additional science rooms will allow for the expanded upper-level science offerings and accommodate enrollment growth, and the new EHS auditorium will more than double the capacity of the Eudora Middle School auditorium, giving greater flexibility to productions from kindergarten on up. The final project, the district stadium, will replace
The final projects all will be ready for students at the start of school, with the exception of the auditorium. The auditorium, expected to be completed later in the fall, has been delayed for a variety of reasons, including weather some contractors that were inconsistent on timelines, delaying other parts of the project.
“Taking on a $45 million set of construction projects over a period of time shorter than three years is very ambitious,” Grosdidier said. “And given all of the entirely unexpected economic events over that period of time, we believe we have proceeded in the way that is best for our community, best for our district, and ultimately, best for our students.”
May 2010
As the current round of bond construction wraps up on the Eudora High School campus, the very last building project has just begun. The auditorium, science classrooms and new technical education center are slated to be completed in the coming weeks and early summer, and the district stadium construction – which began in late April – is scheduled to wrap up in time for fall activities.
The stadium will be built in the field west of Eudora High School to accommodate the soccer, football and track teams, as well as marching band and physical education classes. ATG Sports, an Andover, Kan.-based firm, will design and build the stadium at a cost not to exceed $1,888,418, approximately $1.1 million less than the district had originally budgeted in the bond.
"The board has spent a great deal of time and energy, making certain that this was the right thing for our district," said Superintendent of Schools Don Grosdidier.
The decision to proceed with the stadium project was complicated by the fact that the original bond budget came up short, due to many unexpected factors. The bond budget shortfall resulted from overruns at the elementary school and a variety of economic factors, ranging from unprecedented conditions in the bond market to lower-than-projected assessed valuation.
Because completion of the stadium will push the bond package over the $45 million bond by approximately $600,000, the board voted in April to use a lease-purchase agreement with TAC to finance the remainder of the project. Payments for that financing will be made out of capital outlay fund and may require the capital outlay mill rate to increase.
Grosdidier stressed that, although the original bond package and budgets were designed based on factors that dramatically changed, the board was committed to doing as much as possible to benefit students, staff and the community.
"Ultimately," he said, "we are fortunate that the projects came in this order — addressing the classroom needs of students first and leaving the stadium for the end, in case the budget came up short. The board has worked hard to deliver on as much of the voter-approved bond package as possible, and patrons have made it clear over the past several months that they expected the board to build the stadium that was approved in the bond resolution."
March 19, 2010
All six members of the Eudora Board of Education voted on March 17 to proceed with construction of a new district stadium, the final facility voters approved in the November 2007 bond. The stadium will be built in the field west of Eudora High School to accommodate the soccer, football and track teams, as well as marching band and physical education classes.
Click here to read more. Watch a virtual tour of the future facility here.
Feb. 25, 2010
As Eudora Schools leaders enter the final stages of projects approved by voters in the November 2007 bond election, significant progress has been made. The elementary and middle school projects are completely finished, and the work on the high school campus is well underway. The Eudora-De Soto Technical Education Center, being built north of Eudora High School, is on schedule to open for the start of school next year, as are the auditorium and science classroom additions on the existing high school.
“These additions will go a long way to enhance what we offer our students and the community,” said Superintendent of Schools Don Grosdidier. “Bringing our technical education programs under one roof will expand the students who are served by these important programs. And opening a large auditorium will enhance student performances in kindergarten through high school and be a great resource for the community at large.
The Eudora Board of Education is considering options to address a shortfall in the overall bond budget that resulted from overruns at the elementary school and a variety of economic factors, ranging from unprecedented conditions in the bond market to lower-than-projected assessed valuation. As a result, the two remaining projects in the bond – the district stadium and paying off a long-term lease for heating and cooling – are being examined. The board will consider stadium bids at their March meeting before making a decision.
“Certainly, this is not the situation we planned for when we designed the bond package and budgets,” Grosdidier said. “But factors throughout the past two years have created a situation that was almost impossible to plan for. Ultimately, we are fortunate that the projects came in this order – addressing the classroom needs of students first and leaving the stadium and lease payments for the end, in case the budget came up short. But right now we looking at all the options available so that we can deliver on as much of the voter-approved bond package as possible.”
Sept. 18, 2009
The Sept. 27 building dedication at Eudora Elementary School will ceremonially conclude work on the flagship project of the $45 million bond passed by voters in November 2007. The Eudora Middle School expansions also were completed in late summer, rounding out the fall 2009 projects.
Slated for completion in the fall of 2010 are projects on the campus of Eudora High School. A new technical education center, EHS auditorium and science classroom additions are already well underway on this site. The Eudora-De Soto Technical Education Center will be located just north of the high school, housing all of the existing and future career and technical education programs.
“The technical center will truly change the way we offer technical education in our district,” said Superintendent of Schools Don Grosdidier. “Having the facility on the high school campus – and having the classes taught in modern, well-appointed classrooms – will increase opportunities for both our students and our teachers to maximize the benefit of these courses.”
The auditorium and science classroom additions are underway and will continue to be built through the winter months. The last remaining project from the 2007 bond to be bid is the stadium, which always has been scheduled to go to bid in the first part of 2010.
“The board members and I are committed to following through on the bond package approved by voters, if at all possible,” Grosdidier said. “We have begun all of these bond projects during unprecedented economic times, which has not necessarily worked to our advantage. It’s important for our patrons to understand that the stadium has not been cut, and the board won’t be able to make an informed decision about any cuts until early 2010. And if it is able to be built, pending the resolution of budget and roadway issues, it will still be entirely on track to be move forward.”
Aug. 13, 2009
Eudora Elementary School and the additions to Eudora Middle School will officially open when school begins on Aug. 17, and the next round of construction projects – to be completed in fall 2010 – is already well underway.
“Completing Eudora Elementary in just over a year has required hard work and considerable dedication from many, many people,” said Superintendent of Schools Don Grosdidier. “The building has come together extraordinarily well and will be a tremendous resource to our students and our community for generations to come.”
While the landscaping around the elementary will be finished this fall, the interior of the building is scheduled to be completed and open to staff and students in time for the first day of school. Teachers began to have limited access in mid July to help prepare their rooms, and the public will have a chance for a first look at the school during a community open house from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23.
Additions to Eudora Middle School are finished; read more in the cover story of The Card. The restroom additions at West also will be complete when all-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs begin in late August and early September.
The projects for completion next fall – the new technical education center, Eudora High School auditorium and additional science rooms – are well underway.
“The first year of projects was a significant undertaking,” Grosdidier said, “but the 2010 projects will also bring critical additions to our high school campus. Having our technical education courses in a modern facility adjacent to the high school will extend the opportunities in these important programs to even more high school students. The science addition will allow us to continue to offer a wide variety of science courses, including advanced electives. And the auditorium will serve Eudora students and families from across the district.”
Feb. 12, 2009
The cold of winter hasn’t done much to slow the work on the new Eudora Elementary School and additions to Eudora Middle School. The roof on Eudora Elementary School is installed on the center part of the building and being added to the pods as they are completed. The commons expansion and sixth grade additions to EMS will be done by early summer, and both buildings are slated to be open to students this fall.
“These projects – particularly the elementary school – have been on very aggressive construction schedules,” said Don Grosdidier, superintendent of schools. “It’s almost unheard of to build an elementary school of this scale in just 18 months. But the crews have done a remarkable job keeping all the different facets of this project moving ahead.”
The Eudora Board of Education adopted finalized plans for the Eudora-De Soto Technical Education Center and the additions to Eudora High School. These projects will begin later this spring or early summer so that they are complete for students and teachers in fall 2010.
The high school additions include a 750-seat performing arts center, as well as science classroom additions. The technical education center will include space for all of the technical education programs, as well as a commons and very small administrative area. The commons also will be able to function as banquet service training area for seating of up to 65 people. This building will be located just north of the current high school, creating a campus feel.
“Research tells us that the technical programs that provide the most students with the greatest benefit are those that have an integrated curriculum between the technical side and the core curricular classes,” Grosdidier said. “Creating the feeling of a campus between the high school and the tech center will create even more opportunities for us to integrate our core curriculum with the technical education curriculum, which will enhance student learning.”
Nov. 13, 2008
Construction projects for the 2007 school bond have progressed well into the fall, and timelines are still on schedule for a fall 2009 opening of the new elementary school and Eudora Middle School additions.
At the elementary school, which will house all students in the first through fifth grades, the floors are poured, and all exterior walls are expected to be up by Thanksgiving. The project was enhanced with the addition of the tornado safe room, thanks to a FEMA grant that was received in September. Read more about the FEMA grant and safe room here.
Ground was broken on the EMS projects in August, and work there has begun in earnest on the sixth grade addition and expanded commons area. The early childhood education center, which will be located in the current Eudora West Elementary building, will require the construction of additional restrooms. This work is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2009.
While the construction timeline for all projects is working in the district’s favor, district leaders continue to work hard with the architecture and construction management firms to make sure that all bond projects will be completed within the budget approved by voters.
“An undertaking of this size sees a lot of changes and unexpected circumstances, from start to finish,” said Superintendent of Schools Don Grosdidier. “Our top priority in the bond construction projects is to deliver on our promises to voters, which includes high-quality learning facilities and fiscal responsibility.”
Aug. 11, 2008
Construction projects for the 2007 school bond have progressed on schedule this summer.
Dirt work has been completed at the new Eudora Elementary School site, and the structure's footings were being poured during July and into early August. During the grading work, crews uncovered an abandoned gas well, or possibly a well test site that was never developed. In close consultation with the Kansas Corporation Commission, the well was found to have no trace of gas and was capped with 250 feet of concrete.
"In addition to the extensive testing and the concrete cap, the new building will include ventilation and monitoring system to ensure the highest level of safety and health for our students and staff," said Don Grosdidier, superintendent of schools.
The drawings and plans for the Eudora Middle School additions have been finalized by the Eudora Board of Education, and the bid packages for the additions will go before the board at the Aug. 14 regular meeting. Work on this project could begin as soon as the bids are approved by the board.
Both Eudora Elementary School and the EMS additions are on track to be complete for the fall of 2009. The early childhood education center, which will be located in the current Eudora West Elementary building, will require the construction of additional restrooms. This work is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2009.
In addition to the bond projects, the parking lots at EMS and Eudora High School have been improved with new asphalt, and much-needed roof repairs are underway at EMS.
May 15, 2008
District construction projects are well underway and will be in full swing this summer. The largest project, Eudora Elementary School, is on schedule to open for students in the fall of 2009. The entire 46-acre site in northeast Eudora has been stripped of grass and topsoil, and the actual building pad site is being prepared. Installation of water and sewer lines also has begun.
Bids for the construction of the elementary building opened on May 6 came in favorably. Earlier bids for dirt work and asphalt came in well below budget, allowing ample financial planning room for the rest of the scheduled projects.
Work on the Eudora Middle School additions, which also will be complete in the fall of 2009, will go out to bid this spring. The modifications planned to make West a kindergarten and preschool center for the fall of 2009 are scheduled to begin next year.
A number of district improvements will take place this summer, in addition to the bond projects. West Elementary has added two modular classrooms to accommodate next year’s increase in student enrollment. Construction on the ramps and sidewalks for these mobile units is scheduled to take place over summer.
Work scheduled also includes parking lot repairs at the middle school and high school and the refinishing of the EMS gym floor. New sidewalks will be added at EHS during this same time.
