USD 327

Superintendent

When students and most teachers and staff are enjoying summer break, it’s the perfect time to make improvements to our facilities and grounds across the district. This summer has been a great example of that here in USD 327.

At Kanopolis Middle School, several exciting improvements have taken place since the last day of school. The district’s capital outlay funds and a grant have allowed us :

• Install new doors on the front of the building.

• Remodel and refresh the second floor, which now includes classrooms and spaces to make more room for students and staff.

• Repair and reseal the parking lot and blacktop play pad.

• Add two new swing sets, mulch and plastic timbers on the playground, thanks to a generous $6,000 grant from the Post Rock Jaycees.

At Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High School, we’ve also invested capital outlay dollars in much-needed HVAC controller repairs and the installation of a new rooftop unit. These improvements will help ensure consistent, comfortable temperatures throughout the Silverwood Wing.

These capital outlay improvements were identified through feedback from our staff and community. As we look to the future, we continue to take a proactive approach in identifying and prioritizing the needs of our aging buildings. This work is incredibly important as we serve as responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, especially those designated for grounds and facilities through the district’s capital outlay budget.

When the USD 327 Board of Education adopted our updated mission, vision and motto in March 2023, it also embraced six strategic themes to guide our work across the district. One of those themes, Align Resources with Facilities and Infrastructure, continues to shape how we approach maintenance and longterm planning for our buildings. Just like maintaining a car or home over many years, it takes thoughtful planning and care to get the most value and benefit from capital investments.

When I began in this role three years ago, there were many urgent needs that we were fortunate to address through a combination of capital outlay and grant funds. Now, we’re in a position to shift our focus to broader, longterm priorities. This summer, we’ve been working on a multi-year facilities plan that considers need, priority and available funding.

Planning has been underway for several months, incorporating staff feedback and technical support from HTK Architects. Earlier this month, the board held a special meeting to review the results of HTK’s comprehensive facility needs assessment. You may recall that HTK worked with USD 327 during the 2014 bond project, so they bring a strong understanding of our district and the expectations of our community.

HTK’s assessment identified several important areas we need to plan for, including safe and secure campuses, aging HVAC systems, rekeying our schools and plumbing improvements at both Ellsworth Elementary School and EJSHS. With a clearer picture of these needs, we are preparing to share more with our community in August.

Please mark your calendar for Monday, Aug. 26, at 6 p.m. and plan to join us in the EJSHS Commons. We look forward to sharing more about the facility needs assessment and hearing from families and community members as we work together to prioritize the most critical improvements for the next five to 10 years.

I hope you will join the board and me in approaching facilities planning with excitement and focus. These types of goals can sometimes be overlooked — they often involve behind-the-scenes work or carry a high price tag — but they are essential. Knowing how generous and supportive USD 327 taxpayers are, we want to be sure we have a clear, transparent plan for using our capital outlay dollars wisely.

A strong school system depends on protecting and improving our capital investments, and that’s only possible with a community as caring as ours. Thank you for your continued input and support. Together, we will keep offering students the chance to explore, engage and achieve excellence. The future is bright in USD 327!

Important upcoming dates: New student registration/ enrollment — Aug.

5, 6, 7 First day of school — Aug. 15 Community meeting, EJSHS Commons — Aug. 26, 6 p.m.

Deena Hilbig is the superintendent of USD 327. She can be reached at (785) 472-5561.