SJCF has spent nearly a year touring USD 428 facilities, listening to staff, teachers, and hearing suggestions from community members. After hearing the needs and wants for the Great Bend school district, the architect firm from Wichita designed construction and renovation options for the school district.
SJCF Senior Vice President Terry Wiggers illustrated five options that involved changes to Great Bend High School. Those changes ranged from $30.6 million that built a new auditorium and connected the main building to the Panther Activity Center all the way to a new building at a new location that cost $82.2 million.
Terry Wiggers Audio
Stating that there was still much indecision on the High School options, Wiggers noted a steering committee and community feedback could pick and choose specific options to include and which ones to leave out of the final proposal. That final proposal will go before the USD 428 Board of Education on January 14 for approval and eventually put on the ballot for a vote.
Only one of the five options left the High School football field in place, with the others either relocating the field or rotating it to an east and west running field.
Terry Wiggers Audio
The steering committees were generally in favor of adding on to Great Bend Middle School to shift 6th grade from the elementary schools to the Middle School. The committees were also in favor of creating preschool space to all the elementary schools.
A community feedback meeting will be held November 15 at the District Office.