Nikole Babb
nbabb@cherryroad.com
“I always felt like our facilities in certain aspects were really holding the kids back.”
In 2023 Bluestem Public Schools USD 205 passed a $13.5 million bond that improved classrooms, athletic facilities and gave students what Superintendent Joel Lovesee describes as more opportunities that have been a long time coming.
After trying to pass a bond to improve the school district several times in past years, Lovesee says he’s relieved to have it passed once and for all. He says with these improvements, USD 205 can finally be on the same playing field as other schools after decades of being overlooked.
“I always felt like our facilities in certain aspects were really holding the kids back,” said Lovesee. “I mean our science labs didn’t have working gas. I think the teacher’s desk had one working gas valve that we safely would use. Half of the sink drains didn’t work, water didn’t work, the labs were too small, and the shop, the exhaust was horrible. So, you try to weld, we just had smoke everywhere. It just wasn’t safe with metal and woodwork in the same shop.”
The bond passed by 102 votes with 415 residents voting ‘yes’, and 313 voting ‘no’.
If the bond hadn’t passed, Lovesee was concerned about making budget cuts that would’ve included staff and programs to ensure routine maintenance could be paid for.
Upgrades and renovations to the high school included brand new science labs with working sinks and gas valves, a dedicated metals shop and a separate dedicated wood working shop. These new spaces will give students advanced opportunities to get firsthand real-life experiences before entering the work force, a skillset USD 205 focuses on heavily.
In addition, the high school received upgrades of an expanded band room, and the old science rooms were renovated into a dedicated pottery room and separate art room. Half of the building also got rewired with all new breaker panels throughout.
The high school wasn’t the only building with renovations – the elementary school received the addition of four new classrooms that were long overdue and the addition of a multipurpose classroom that can also be used as a FEMA-rated storm shelter. The multipurpose classroom acts as the elementary agriculture program room with more space, quick access to the livestock barn and plenty of natural light.
“The community has really supported the ag program, and they’ve really supported common sense, if you could say, and helping not necessarily just traditional school,” said Lovesee.
All old classrooms received new carpet and paint, including the hallways and shared spaces. Some are still awaiting finishing touches. Despite breaking ground several months late, executing graduation in the high school gym and wiring issues, the project still was able to finish without any serious issues.
Lovesee says that this bond advances USD 205 to compete with neighboring schools that have a larger taxpayer base who can pay for multiple bonds over the years, leading to newer and improved schools.
“We’re all supposed to have the same education in Kansas no matter your zip code and it’s not true,” said Lovesee. “When I arrived at USD 205 16 years ago, I’d always hear it’s good enough for Leon, and that was never good enough for me, and it just drove me nuts. And that, I hope, sets the bar that we can keep going up here, no matter what, and so that these kids know that we care about them. There’s a lot of positives from this, so we just wanted to do it the best way we could and be best stewards of the money we have and plan for the long term.”
See the photo gallery of the school renovations here.
