KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In April, voters in the Center School District will be asked to approve a $48 million bond issue to pay for a variety of facility improvements.
At Center Elementary School, several kindergarten classes sit next to the front entrance of the building.
Cara Campbell has been teaching in one of those classrooms for the past 20 years. While there haven’t been any incidents at the school, Campbell said the way the building is set up makes it unsafe for her and her students.
“Without a secure entrance or a buffer, there’s nothing stopping anyone from coming to our door,” Campbell said.
The school’s layout is different than most. When walking into the building from the front, one can either go upstairs or downstairs, passing several classrooms along the way before making it to the main office.
“Office staff does a great job of monitoring the front door and watching the cameras, but it still presents a challenge and we just don’t want an unsafe situation to occur,” Center Elementary Principal Karen Prickett said.
Over the last year, experts reviewed the Center School District’s facilities, safety and security measures. Based on the findings, the district is asking voters to approve the $48 million bond that would fund improvements district-wide.
“You know, when you invest in your schools, you're investing in our kids and you're investing in the future and it’s just going to help the community, and having safer schools is just what we need,” Prickett said.
Indian Creek Elementary School would see the biggest change. The bond would allow the district to replace the outdated building and support the growth seen at enrollment.
“We’re excited for a change that’s going to propel us forward and bring us up-to-date where we need to be, which we’re excited about that,” said Angela Price, Indian Creek Elementary principal.
The district said the bond is not a tax increase. The current debt service property tax levy would remain the same at 90 cents per $100 valuation.
Teachers and staff are asking the public to support the bond on April 2.
“That we care about their children and we just want to provide them with the safest learning environment that we can,” Campbell said.
For the bond issue to pass, 57.14 percent of voters must vote yes. If passed, upgrades would start immediately and be finished within two years.
