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Approved $264 million bond to fund $200M in Shawnee Mission School District upgrades

By Madison Parry

The Shawnee Mission School District has laid out project plans to rebuild two elementary schools in 2021, five total over the next three years. The school district will fund the upgrades with most of a $264 million bond approved by Johnson County voters earlier this year.

A page on the Shawnee Mission School District website reveals project plans to revamp existing buildings through funding provided by the recently-approved $264 million bond.

Roughly $200 million will be used by the school district to complete rebuilds of five elementary schools over the next three years, two of which it intends to complete in 2021.

In January, the majority of Johnson County voters that turned up at the polls approved the bond. Overall turnout for the vote was low with nearly 28 percent of county voters participating. The bond received 43,441 ‘yes’ votes (69.41 percent) and 15,178 ‘no’ votes (30.59 percent).

Along with the rebuild of the five elementary schools, the district intends to fund upgrades at several middle schools and high schools. The SMSD Early Childhood Education Center and Career and Technical Campus will also receive upgrades. 

Other intended used of the bond include updating and replacing HVAC equipment, repairing and replacing asphalt and roofs districtwide.

 

Posted 03/01/2021