USD 475 is looking at a possible future project involving an Early Childhood Center. Some time ago the school board directed David Wild to investigate the need for a facility. An architect prepared schematic designs and District officials visited sites in North Kansas City and Maize.
Wild explained to the Board of Education this week that those visits made him realize this type of project is achievable. "It's something we may seriously want to look into." He suggested starting with phase one of a project with the cost just under $20 million. The school district could provide some matching funds and apply for a federal grant in 2023, "that must be a shovel-ready project and that includes title to property in hand."
Multiple sites have been looked at and one owned by the City on the southwest edge of town south of Strauss Blvd. near Ethan Lane might make a possible location. "We have more than 1,400 students in the current population of three and four-year olds that would qualify for the program that are underserved. That's why I think it would be beneficial for us to take a serious look at this."
Wild added that the attraction of this facility meeting the needs of three and four year olds "would be a magnet for Fort Riley of those soldiers with young families and for the community for school district personnel, for hospital personnel. Just about everybody could benefit from this."
Wild noted that the initial phase of the facility would be a little bit larger than the child population currently being served. He had asked the architects to design a facility that could be expanded in the future as funds become available. A bond issue would not be needed.
Momentum seemed to building during the Board meeting on this topic, but Dorothy Bramlage Public Director Susan Moyer pointed to a Defense Community Program Infrastructure Program grant that the District had some interest in pursuing. The issue is that it's the same grant that Library officials had been looking at for their own new building project.
Moyer noted that the City would have to apply for that grant on behalf of the library, which has been participating in a regional process through the Flint Hills Regional Council that would select one project from the region. Moyer added that USD 475 has been outside the regional process and that she believed that the District could make their own application.
More discussions will be necessary including on the subject of a potential partnership between the school district and the library.