A new era for Iola USD 257’S BRIGHT FUTURE AND HOW IT CAME TO BE Fall 2022
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The designs of individual classrooms also have greater flexibility, giving teachers and students a sense of ownership.
PTO membership at the elementary school
From 2016 to 2019, members of the community routinely met with school administrators and teachers to reach consensus as to what would best serve our students. Nothing was left off the table. Multiple sites were considered, as were configurations of possibilities. Should we do a piecemeal approach, or an all-inclusive campus as proposed in 2014? How much would voters be willing to pay for?
In the end, there were three options on the April 2, 2019 ballot: $25.5 million for a new elementary school, and if that passed, another $7.2 million for a new high school science center and another $2.8 million for a new heating and cooling system for the middle school.Overwhelmingly,
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Setback after setback over the years seemed to imply it would never happen and we would have to content ourselves with renovations that would never move the needle toward truly making a difference as to how we could deliver a superior education.
What we’ve learned is that we can’t do this alone.It’sour relationship with the public that got us where we are today.
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So when it came to building a new elementary school, that meant ensuring its construction would not only improve our delivery of education but also give every teacher and student a superior experience.
EDITORS:
voters approved all three measures, ensuring the future of education is on a positive track.
The new Iola Elementary School has been a long time coming.
That attention to detail included floorto-ceiling windows in common spaces such as the cafeteria and library as well as pods scattered throughout the building. Exposure to natural light and the outside world helps keep students alert and happy and improves their academic performance.
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And the warm colors of the interiors of the individual wings not only help guide children but also stimulate their imaginations.
We regard the bond issue as a vote of confidence in USD 257 schools. And every day, we aspire to keep earning your confidence by doing our level best to provide a superior education to each and every child.
An investment in the future
The energy today is palpable.
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I’m no interior designer, but I do know what happiness looks like. And it’s everywhere.
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The addition of carpet in hallways and classrooms also enhances the acoustic environment, helping teachers be heard over traffic and children.
is through the roof with parents eager to become involved in their children’s education. Site councils at each of the schools continue to provide the district with community input as to how we can best meet performance goals and objectives. And now, volunteers have returned to reading with students every morning from 7:30 to 8:30 in the library.
The challenge of every superintendent is to keep your eye on the big picture of education while making sure every individual’s needs are being met.
“A lot of people in this room deserve credit. Superintendent Stacey Fager carried this load and deserves a lot of credit for the way he’s worked with the administrative team,” school board president Dan Willis said.Board member Tony Leavitt agreed: “Thanks to the administration and staff, it was nothing short of amazing what they pulled off. When I walked into the classroom, I told one of the teachers, ‘Any parent who brings a child into this school will be happy to have them get their education here.’”
Members of the community, students, teachers, school officials and staff, cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the new school.
The day signified a huge effort. One that required the commitment of not just the district’s faculty and staff but the entire community.Schoolboard member Jennifer Taylor couldn’t seem to find enough adjectives: “It was amazing to see so many people at the open house. It was inspiring. It was awesome. There’s so much to thank people for.”
A grand opening
It was all smiles — more than 2,000 of them — when Iola Elementary School opened its doors to the public on Tuesday, Aug.
Classes started the next day.
Indeed, at the first school board meeting after the open house, board members lavished praise on each other, administrators, teachers, maintenance crews, custodians and everyone who helped push the project past the finish line.
than 600 students and their families, 100-plus teachers, friends and others in the community finally got their first look at the $26.1 million facility at the open house.
“I also want to thank the custodial staff,” Leavitt added. “They absolutely busted it to get this Fagerdone.”praised the perseverance of his staff in the face of numerous challenges as construction pushed right up against the deadline.“Inearly July, we had news that the state fire marshal was going to be delayed. There could have been a lot of finger-pointing and saying, ‘Woe is me,’” he said. “I remember saying if that’s the hand we’re dealt, in a lot of ways it will be our finest hour and we’ll pull together to make this happen.”
A New Era For Iola | 4
And so they did.
More16.
Maintenance director Aaron Cole and his staff organized the move, but even school board members and their families pitched in by carrying boxes.
At left is a seating area that looks out on a courtyard. Above, families explore kindergarten classrooms during the open house. Below left, students enjoy free hot dogs at the open house. At right, first grade teacher Mickey Rodriguez meets with students and parents..
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Willis was among those who opposed the plan, and it failed 62% to 38%.
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It was worth every night of lost sleep. School Board President Dan Willis would ask himself a lot of questions in those quiet moments.
SJCF helped the steering committee and the school board come up with a plan, coming together on a new elementary school, new science building at Iola High School and upgrade heating and cooling systems at the middle school, all for $35
It was a huge victory, thanks to the
Willis works as safety manager at B&W Trailer Hitches in Humboldt.
FOR WILLIS, the path to a new school started with the 2014 defeat of a $50 million bond issue that would have built an entire new campus.
“I can’t think of much I’d do differently,” he answered. “And there are very few projects in my life where I would say that.”
Because Willis was the only school board member who had voted against the 2014 bond issue, Leavitt told him it was
When then-board president Tony Leavitt asked Willis to run for a seat on the school board, he accepted the challenge and won a seat at the table.
“There were a lot of nights I had to really hope it was going right. There were a dozen times along the way, something would happen and I’d look at the data and hope we didn’t make a rash decision,” he recalled.“Then something good would come along.”Now that Iola has finally opened a shiny new elementary school — the first new school built in the district in 73 years — what would he do differently?
The board immediately started working on a strategic plan with 50 community members, which grew into a facilities action team and, later, a steering committee.Leavittand
He paused, considering the question.
Less than a week later, he attended a school board meeting and felt guilty for voting against education.
million. They decided to build it at a site near Kentucky and Monroe streets, where the soil was contaminated with lead from its use as an industrial area 100 years earlier, but was more centrally located in theWillsdistrict.recalled a letter he wrote to the president of SJCF.
Willis attended a 2016 state school board convention to learn about community-led processes to pass bond issues. They teamed up with SJCF Architects, a Wichita firm with experience in such matters.
IolaCongratulationsElementarySchool!
Success follows 2014 defeat
It read (more or less): “You’re telling me we’re going to flip the vote and get an even greater margin of victory just a few years later, when state aid would have paid 51% of it and now the state is paying 35%, and we’re going to build it on a Superfund site… and you’re telling me we’re going to passButthat?”itdid pass —and by a margin of 64.45% to 35.57%.
his duty to form a community-led effort to study facilities.
A delighted Dan Willis watches students arrive on the first day of school, Aug. 17.
“THANK YOU”
And though it took a great deal of time and attention — and was sometimes quite stressful — Willis said it also was a lot of fun.“When your heart is in a project like this, it doesn’t feel like work.”
To THE VOTERS who made a dream become A reality that will enhance the future of our children and the community.
THE BOARD decided to hire a
Coonrod & Associates, a Wichita firm that has frequently worked with SJCF, won the bid out of three candidates.
“It was just the right time for what I had to offer as far as leadership or calling in oldAfterfavors.”the bond passed, much of the work fell onto the shoulders of the board andSuperintendentadministrators.Fager became a key figure in organizing the various players. He served as the go-between for the board, the architects, the construction manager, the administrative team, the teachers and staff, and the public.
“He did a great job for us.”
Dan Willis stands at the hallway entrance of what would become the new library.
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Leavitt, who chose not to run for re-election and left the board in 2018, changed his mind and came back in 2020. Between the 2019 school bond election and the completion of the project, three other board seats changed hands.
construction manager at risk, an arrangement where they would put their trust into one firm to oversee all construction matters.
“I think I get a whole lot of credit, but there were so many people involved. We all stuck our necks out. So many people should be proud,” he said.
Willis congratulates everyone who was part of that process.
Willis admits he didn’t expect Randy Coonrod and his company to prevail.
See WILLIS | Page 45
“He came in as the dark horse and rolled out as a shining knight,” Willis said.
efforts of dozens of area residents who devoted countless hours to coming up with just the right plan and then lobbied their family members, friends and neighbors to vote in favor.
SJCF’s architects had a series of meetings with members of the steering committee, teachers and other staff to learn the community’s needs and wants as they began the design process.
“Creatingalike.an environment where kids can enjoy learning is always No. 1 for school projects,” Le said. “The building should reinforce the importance of learning and provide all the space teachers need to offer the best education.”
“We needed to get that site ready to put a building on, and make sure the community understood we were doing everything we could to make it safe for their kids,” she said.
SJCF architect Allison Le had two specific goals in designing the new elementary school: create something that could serve the community for at least 100 years, and make it a great experience for teachers and students
“When we were planning this building in 2020, we could never have anticipated a global pandemic,” she said. “That definitely made for a struggle, but it was able to get done in the nick of time. I’m really glad it was able to be open for the start of school.”
That work was evident to anyone who drove past the school during that soil remediation process. In some places, crews dug about six feet deep.
The oldest students have the farthest to walk, as the fourth and fifth grade classrooms are located in the east wing.
“I love the library,” Le said. “It’s very light and bright and I think it’s going to make kids excited to go there and check out books.”Shebelieves the design will be ideal for librarians, as well as volunteers who come to read with Thoughstudents.thelong hallway might sound a bit intimidating, Le designed special features along the way to make it more inviting.
Allison Le , architect with SJCF
That meant she had to design a long building — nearly the length of a football field. It features a long hallway, which serves as a sort of spine for the building, with three wings jutting off to the north for classrooms. Each features a different color to help students find their way. Each wing also has a large common area, where students can gather and teachers can combine lessons.
For example, doors or windows are located between each wing, giving a view of green space. There are also several small conference rooms along the way, where teachers or paraprofessionals can work with students in a private, one-on-one setting.
Also located on the south side are the library and classrooms for art and music.
“There’s not much we can do about that,” Le acknowledged.
The site work was Le’s first challenge.
A New Era For Iola | 8
“The hallway kind of breathes. It has those breakout spaces and gives you something to look at, which helps break up the walk,” Le said.
“That’s really the goal, to find out what teachers are doing and design the building around that,” Le said.
SJCF staff organize several meetings with educators to determine their needs. The COVID-19 pandemic derailed some of those meetings, forcing them to take a more virtual approach. They started with two rounds of interviews with all teachers, then shifted to meetings with a representative from each grade level.
The district hired SJCF not only to design the building but to help them develop and pass a bond issue. In the beginning, a team from SJCF worked with members of a local steering committee to come up with a general plan for the school projects, then held a series of meetings with community members to answer questions as the vote approached.Oncethebond issue passed, Le joined the project. She was tasked with the design of theTypically,school.
AT ONE point, about 100 years ago, the site at Kentucky and Monroe was an industrial area that featured a brick foundry, zinc smelting operations and more. The soil was polluted with lead, and the cost of cleanup had deterred previous would-be developments.Theschooldistrict, along with RenTerra (the company hired to do the soil remediation work) and the Environmental Protection Agency assured the community it could be made safe.
Designing woman
Second and first grade classrooms are located in the middle wing, with kindergarten and first grade in the first wing.Preschoolers have their own special area, near the front of the school and in a secure storm shelter, each with its own restroom. In the event of severe weather or a tornado, those young students won’t have to leave theirAnotherclassrooms.storm shelter is located to the south of the main hallway, on the east side across from the fourth/fifth grade wing. It is dedicated to special education, with a similar intention; if there’s a tornado, those students won’t have to relocate. Other students will be able to join them to seek shelter, if necessary.
The worst contamination, on the west side, is now covered by a parking lot. The school sits in the middle, with an area to the east that can later be developed for outdoor recreation.Theproperty posed another challenge. It is long and narrow, which means the school also has to be long and narrow.
From those discussions, Le incorporated features unique to Iola classrooms. For example, teachers wanted extra cabinets, including special drawers where they could store posters and vented cabinets that allow them to charge laptops and lock them overnight.TheCOVID pandemic presented other challenges, particularly when it came to supply chain issues.
THE FRONT of the building faces west, and has a lot going on.
The school board also insisted on a multipurpose room that can be used as locker rooms for visiting teams. That was another feature that surprised Le, and she believes it will make the school more usable for large events — not just sports activities but also art shows and music contests, as
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Le designed a second story “mechanical mezzanine” to house most of the behindthe-scenes equipment needed to run the building. It includes HVAC equipment, plumbing and electrical equipment, with seven sets of stairs offering access at various points. The mezzanine runs over the top of the long central hallway, with black panels on the outside.
The mezzanine provides numerous benefits.Aesthetically, it just looks better, Le said.
LE VISITED the construction site frequently, usually about once a week.
Administrative offices also are at the front of the building, on the south side. Those areas include a front office, a nurse’s station with a new health clinic, offices for principals and other administrators, as well as teachers’ lounges. The section also includes a lactation room for new mothers, which teachers identified as a special need.
The gymnasium is huge, with seating for 450. District officials believe it could be the largest elementary school gym in the state.
“I’m very proud of the school,” she said. “I hope it’s something the community can enjoy for years to come.”
It’s the little details that make the building even more special, she noted.
But it’s not just about the competitions, Le pointed out. A partition can separate the gym in half, allowing two physical education classes at once for elementary students.
The district was given three options for designing the parking lot. They chose to go with the largest possible, deciding if they were going to build for the future, they might as well do it now.
Even though the school is now open and operating as intended, SJCF will still be involved for several months.
That’s where students enter and leave, gather for meals and go to gym class.
Another area where the board insisted on doing more is the parking lot. It’s huge.
“It’s such a long building, it helps add
“You get much less roof penetration, which makes for a lasting rooftop. The fewer holes you can put in something, the more likely it is to perform well,” Le said.
well as SAFE BASE activities.
“We also want to make things as easy as possible for maintenance staff, so they’ll be more successful and everything will last longer.”
“There are always little things here and there at the end that need to be tweaked,” sheThesaid.end of a construction project is always bittersweet, she said. She’s been working with the district for years now.
But another design aspect, not so easily seen, is something that will allow the building to stand the test of time.
“I’m very excited to make a safer building for everyone,” Le said.
“And it helps keep people off the roof, provides protective space to make repairs to equipment and prevents equipment from sitting out in the weather.
THOSE are all the special features on view to the public.
someButheight.”theprimary benefit is to protect the roof and the equipment, extending their life.
“It was something we never discussed in the bond, but after talking with teachers, it was something they wanted. We weren’t sure we could do it with the budget,” Le said.
Creating an environment where kids can enjoy learning is always No. 1 for school projects. The building should reinforce the importance of learning and provide all the space teachers need to offer the best edu cation.
Entry into the building is controlled with special safety features, including a vestibule at the front office.
— Allison Le, lead architect with SJCF
“The gym will be kind of surprising,” she said.That is an understatement.
The multipurpose room was made possible through savings in other areas of the school bond project. For example, the district was able to use COVID relief money to pay for some of the HVAC improvements at the middle school, which allowed them to redirect some of that bond money to the elementary school.
Le’s original plans called for a smaller gym, more typical for an elementary school. But school board members wanted more, approving another $1.4 million to make it regulation size. The goal is to allow high school teams to practice there, as well as hold tournaments that will bring activity and business to Iola.
“At one time we lost most of the electrical crew. They’d get together in meetings and all the sudden one tested positive, so they went through the protocol. We had that with a number of trades,” Coonrod said.
So1992.when they won the bid for Iola’s three projects — a new elementary school, new science building and cafeteria at Iola High School and new heating and cooling systems at IMS — it seemed like a natural fit.
The pandemic delayed deliveries of material, and sometimes made it impossible to find enough material as needed for a job.
COONROD is credited for helping the district save millions of dollars on the projects.Partof that was timing, but Coonrod’s experience helped him navigate through the various supply chain and pricing issues.
“Had we not ordered bar joists when we did, it could have delayed the project by a year,” he said. “That, more than any other issue, caused delays.”
If the timing had been less favorable, it likely would have forced Coonrod and the district to scale back the scope of the project. The bond limits how much money can come from taxpayers; if the district had additional costs, the board would have had to find the money somewhere else or accept less of a Whenproject.thebond issue was sent to voters, it was based on estimates for construction at that time. No one could have predicted the impact of COVID.
restrictions, if one member of a crew came down with COVID, everyone had to stay home. That meant weeks without a particular crew, and shifting other workers around to compensate.
“This would have been very difficult if we hadn’t had the total commitment of the school district and the architect behind us,” Coonrod said. “It was truly a team effort.”
Coonrod’s commitment
The design and construction team posed for a photo with USD 257 leaders at the Aug. 16 open house. From left are Manuel Gonzalez, superintendent with Coonrod; IES Principal Andy Gottlob; Matt Hamm, SJCF architect; Terry Wiggers, SJCF executive vice president; Tony Leavitt, 257 board member; Allison Le, SJCF lead architect; Stacey Fager, 257 superintendent; Randy Coonrod; Dan Willis, 257 board president; and Pete Chavez, superintendent with Coonrod.
Everything seemed on track.
When bids came in for the elementary school in September 2020, Coonrod somehow managed to bring costs in at $26.1 million. That included the $25.5 million as approved by voters, and another $600,000 the board added to build a larger gymnasium.“Wewent through some difficult times to get this done,” Coonrod said.
Labor shortages were even more challenges. Because of quarantine
First, they had to work with numerous entities to remediate soil at the site at Kentucky and Monroe streets. That included RenTerra and its associated company, Veterans Worldwide, as well as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Environmental Protection Agency, engineers with Terracon, the city and school district.“And then there were the issues with COVID,” Coonrod said.
COVID hit the masonry crew hard, especially as they needed to travel about two hours to the Iola site. It was difficult to find replacements.“COVIDdefinitely had an impact.”
“As we went through COVID, prices really
Then COVID-19 hit in March 2020, just as Coonrod was sending out bids for the science building. That pushed costs right to the maximum, at $7,288,693.
Then, in February of 2022, a 33-year-old member of the painting crew was found dead on the site. The cause of death was found to be natural causes, but the loss was difficult for everyone who knew and worked with him.
He offered an example: Coonrod ordered bar joists with an expected delivery of four months. Not long after, deliveries were delayed to 12 months.
“We kind of got ahead of it by making some hard decisions. We scaled back some of the alternatives in the beginning because of our fears.”
Randy Coonrod and his team have built plenty of schools. But they’ve never tackled one during a global pandemic until now.
Coonrod & Associates Construction of Wichita is known as a “school builder.” The company has built schools across the state, including in Chapman, Derby, Valley Center and more. They even built USD 257’s last bond issue, a remodel of Iola Middle School in
Coonrod was hired almost immediately after voters approved the $35 million school bond issue. They worked with architects to develop a plan for construction.
didn’t fluctuate that much at the beginning,” he noted. “But right after, they ballooned. We were looking at a 20% increase in a year, and there were certain products we just couldn’t get.”
A New Era For Iola | 10
“A number of people said it would never happen. I sure don’t like when people say that. It’s almost like a challenge,” Coonrod said.
the best.”
They’ll need to spend about 60 days finishing up at the elementary school site.
That included a larger parking lot, a multipurpose room and additional classrooms. All of those things were added back after savings were found.
COONROD and his crews will still be in the area for some time.
“We’re going to be close, if we’re needed. We don’t leave here until we’ve got everything done.”
Randy Coonrod, chairman of the board of Coonrod and Associates, Wichita, introduces himself to USD 257 Board of Education members in August 2019.
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“I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but without everyone’s cooperation it would never have happened. I’ve been fortunate to work all over the state, and we find rural communities are just really good to work with. This school district is one of
Then they’ll move on to Humboldt, where the school district is getting ready for its own school bond project. They’re also working on a couple of other school projects in Southeast Kansas.
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Gottlob, formerly principal at Lincoln Elementary, is the new IES principal. Koehn, chief administrator at Jefferson Elementary, is Gottlob’s assistant principal.Sowhat is the key to establishing a productive, vibrant culture within a school?“No.1 is always putting kids first,” Gottlob said. “That should be everybody's goal. And really, the key word for all of that is relationships. We’re building relationships with kids, relationships with other adults in the building, with families, with the community. It’s all about relationships.“It’sexciting to be moving into a brand new facility, where we get to have all of our resources in the same building, and all of our grade levels together,” he continued.Gottlobwas principal at Lincoln for the past seven years. Prior to that, he was principal at an elementary school in Pittsburg for nine years and Valley Center forTheone.”Girard native wasn’t always in education. He started out as a firefighter, leaving college a few credits shy of earning a teaching degree.
“We plan to do a ton of those things,” Gottlob said. “We want to establish community service-type of activities for kids.”“Mentorship helps younger students get acclimated to school, and it creates leadership opportunities for our older kids,” he added.
until this changeoverfall’sto Iola Elementary.Oneofthe keys to getting the new school off to a successful start will be flexibility and adjustagreed,wethingsprocedures.”parentofsaid.students,”asasneedKoehnpatience,said.“We’regonnatobeflexibleteachers,andparentsandshe“I’mthinkingthingslikepick-up“We’llfigureoutasgo,”Gottlob“andwhenthings
The facility is well-equipped to serve both the students and community for generations, Gottlob concluded.
“THIS IS pretty much a once-in-alifetime opportunity for me,” Gottlob said. “I’m in my eighth year in Iola, and my 20th as an administrator, plus my time as a teacher before that. Over those 28 years, this is the first time I’ve moved into a brand new building.
Having 600 students under the same roof also opens the door for mentorship opportunities, he continued.
“The first major positive of the new elementary school is once a kid comes in as a preschooler or a kindergartener, they’ll be in the same building as all of the teachers up through grade 5. They’re not going to have to make an adjustment three different times throughout their elementary years.”
The principals also are eager to get the community “back into the buildings.”
Meet the principals
“Resource-wise, the efficiency of the building aone, compared to three old schools, will be tremendous. The utilities will pay for themselves over time. There are going to be so many advantages for everybody.”
Koehn taught for five years in Cherryvale before coming to Iola in 2018 as principal at Jefferson, a role she held
Koehn, a Basehor native, knew from a child she wanted a career in education.
“But then I got married to a teacher and decided to go back and get my degree,” he noted.Hethen taught for eight years before going into school administration.
On top of getting students and teachers squared away to start the school year in a brand new building, Andy Gottlob and Tiffany Koehn will also set out to help establish Iola Elementary School’s new culture.“Each building has its own culture,” Gottlob explained. “Now, we’re bringing three cultures to create a new culture. Everybody’s got to come together.”
“But even in college I knew I wanted to be an administrator,” she said.
“Now that we’re all in one building, and we have a huge parking lot and a huge building,” Gottlob said, “we have an opportunity to do it all together.”
A New Era For Iola | 13
The district’s three elementary schools discontinued Halloween parades the year before Gottlob arrived, “and for the next two o three years, we all caught a lot of flack.”Koehn agreed the Halloween parade is a popular activity.
need to be adjusted. Patience will be key.”
Things such as parent breakfasts, which were difficult if a parent had students in multiple buildings, will return, after they were done away with altogether during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“And we might as well get this out here now,” Gottlob chuckled. “We are bringing back Halloween parades.”
Tiffany Koehn, left, is assistant principal and Andy Gottlob is principal at Iola Elementary School.
In June 2019, investment banking firm George K. Baum & Company offered surprisingly good news: the 30-year bonds were sold with a total interest rate of 3.09456%. That is significant, and will save $8.6 million over the lifetime of the bonds.Good news also came with the remediation of soil at the elementary school site. First, it cost the district less than expected to purchase the properties at the site at Kentucky and Monroe streets. Then, the Environmental Protection Agency agreed to pay for the cleanup of lead-contaminated soil on the eastern third of the property, significantly reducing the district’s costs by about $2 million. The cost of buying the property and soil remediation had been two of the biggest question marks, financially, of the entireThingsproject.moved smoothly along until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. The district hired Coonrod & Associates to serve as construction manager, and that firm worked hand-in-hand with SJCF Architects to design the three projects and prepare them for the bid process.
member Jennifer Taylor asked to enlarge the gymnasium, making it a full-size, competition gymnasium that would offer more benefits to the district and the community. That would add $600,000 to the elementary school budget, pushing the total cost to $26.1 million. The board agreed to pay for the additional expense through its capital outlay fund.
On March 11, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
The timing was just right — and awfully close — for the new school when it came to financial matters.
mid-grade material such as vinyl flooring, but none of the changes forced them to scale back the project or compromise the integrity.When bids for the elementary school came in, they were able to lock in the price at $26.1 million.
School board president Dan Willis estimates the various factors that came into play regarding timing saved the district $12 million.
Board members accepted they’d need to make concessions. They had a wish list of about $1 million. Perhaps they wouldn’t be able to get everything they wanted, such as a multipurpose room that could double as locker rooms. They thought maybe they’d have to build a smaller parking lot that could be expanded later, if the financial picture improved.
Money matters
Not only that, but if the district were to try to build a new school now, it could cost as much as 40% more because of inflation, increased material costs and delays in supply chain issues and labor shortages.“Wenailed this, 100%,” Willis said. “The timing, everything just worked out in our favor.”Voters approved $35 million in April 2019 to build a new elementary school for $25.5 million, a new science building and cafeteria for $7.2 million and replace heating and cooling systems at the middle school for $2.8 million.
A New Era For Iola | 14
So they bought the bigger parking lot. They built the multipurpose room.
District officials estimate they saved about $12 million on the projects just because of timing.
ON March 10, 2020, the school board received an estimate that the science building could come in about $700,000 less than expected and the other projects also were likely to be under budget. The elementary school should have about $400,000 in savings, they were told.
The district was able to pay for about half of the middle school’s HVAC project with federal grant funds. The savings there turned out to be about $1 million — just what they needed for their wish list at the elementary school
But just as the pandemic taketh, so it gave.The district received federal grants to improve health and safety as a result of the pandemic. That included the ability to improve heating and cooling systems — which was part of the bond issue for the middle school.
The pandemic was in full swing by the time bids came in for the science building in July, and the cost came in at $7,288,693 — right at the maximum. Material costs were rising, and companies were reluctant to commit to a project because of the uncertainty of the pandemic.
During that design process, board
Coonrod, though, was able to lock in guarantees that prevented costs from soaring above that maximum bid. In some cases, they had to make minor concessions. For example, they substituted
They added a classroom at each grade level, for a total of five. They bought new playground equipment instead of relocating what they already had.
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“It’s unfortunate,” Superintendent Stacey Fager said. “The state changed the formula and it reduced the amount we get. That money has to come from somewhere, so we had to raise our mill
levy to Initially,compensate.”financialadvisers estimated taxpayers would be on the hook for 21.72 mills. That translates to $174.85 per year for the owner of a $70,000 house, or about 35 cents per day.
In their campaign for the 2019 school bond issue, board members and the steering committee touted it as “a 35% discount” to build the school.
At first, in 2019, things looked pretty good. The mill levy for the first year of the school bond issue was just 18.884.
SO THAT’S the good news — and it’s really, really good news considering the alternative.Nowforthe bad news.
When voters approved the school bond issue, the state agreed to pay 35% of the costs. If the district had passed a bond issue in 2014, the state would have paid 51% of the costs.
But with state aid reduced to 25%, the school bond’s tax rate for 2023 will be 23.352 mills. That translates to $187.98 for the owner of a $70,000 house, or about 52 cents per day.
But year after year, the state scaled back that number. This year, the state is paying just 25% of the costs. That means taxpayers have shouldered more of the burden than expected.
RAY Maloney strongly opposed the 2014 bond issue, but became one of the biggest champions of the 2019 effort.
Steering committee members for the 2019 bond issue included, from left, Ryan Sparks, Dan Willis, Becky Nilges and Savannah Flory.
“What’s more, it came in on budget and pretty much on time.”
She and husband, Levi, have three daughters. They visited the school during the open house, eager to see classrooms.
About half of the members of that school steering committee had opposed a 2014 bond issue.
Solutions are possible when everyone unites under a common cause.
He asked to see “the mechanicals.” That is, all of the heating and cooling systems, the water systems, the electrical conduits and the roofs.
Coming together for the kids
The second-floor mezzanine especially impressed Maloney. It was designed to extend the life of the mechanical equipment and the roof. Those systems are kept in a secure area and protected from the elements, with seven sets of stairs throughout the building for access to make repairs and do maintenance. Keeping them off of the roof also extends its life.
Sparks has since moved away, but has family and friends in Iola and visits often. He’s taken tours of the building at various points during the construction process.
SAVANNAH Flory, another steering committee member, wanted to make sure the building served the needs of everyone in the district. That meant students from Gas and LaHarpe, as well as those in Iola.
“It was very rewarding to see the results of everybody coming together for one cause: the kids.”
As part of the steering committee, his focus was on costs: How much would it cost taxpayers to build new? How much would it cost to renovate what they already had? How much could they save in efficiencies by combining the elementary schools?
Now that the building is complete, she’s thrilled to see the attention to detail, such as “the color-coded wings, the age appropriate sized bathrooms, and microwaves in the cafeteria. My daughter was really excited about that!”
“The roof looks good. It’s contoured. There’s no equipment up there. I think it’s going to last,” he said, approvingly.
So how does he feel now?
She was instrumental in determining the best site for the school was on the east side of Iola, closer to Gas and LaHarpe.
“At the very first meeting, we had every extreme imaginable,” Ryan Sparks, who led the committee, recalled. “We realized how far apart we all were, but it wasn’t about us. It was about the kids and the community and the future. Once we got into that mindset, we were on a mission to listen.”
“During the open house, you could just feel the excitement and positivity in the air; the energy was amazing. It was impressive how quickly the staff were able to get their rooms ready and I’m grateful for all the time and hard work they put in,” she said.
They held a series of meetings throughout the district, and eventually came up with a plan that epitomized compromise: No one got everything they wanted, but everyone got something they liked.“We never took our eye off the ball, and that was doing what was best for the kids and the community,” Sparks said.
during the Aug. 16 open house.
“I think our timing was really good. The bond got funded at a very low interest rate. I’m glad we had Coonrod; he held the contractors’ feet to the fire,” Maloney said. “If COVID hadn’t happened, we probably would have saved even more.”
When he toured both the science center at Iola High School and the new elementary school, Maloney cared less about the amazing interior design and more about what was behind it.
“I found out later that a lot of districts across the state looked at Iola as the worst case scenario because nothing had passed for so long. So for us to take a bond issue to the community and pass it by almost 65% was almost doing the impossible. I credit that to the community for their willingness to share and talk.”
“I’m very proud. My kids will not likely ever be in these buildings, but it wasn’t about us. It was about generations to come.”
He was happy with what he found.
Starting in 2016, a group of residents was asked to find a solution for schools. The newest school building was more than 70 years old, and no school bond issue had passed in USD 257 since 1992.
“It looks good. I’m excited about it,” Maloney said when he toured the building
A New Era For Iola | 16
CONSOLIDATING the schools also was expected to result in additional savings by reducing some staff positions. That has been done through attrition as faculty retired or left for other positions, Superintendent Stacey Fager said.
That’s quite an upgrade from the three elementary schools. The newest, McKinley, was built in 1949. Much of the mechanical systems in those older buildings are decades old and have outlived their recommended lifespan. Maintaining that equipment can be challenging, and it certainly doesn’t operate at the same level as more modern machinery.
But it may take a little longer to realize thoseThesavings.district wants to sell its old schools (for the cost of $1) to BNIM, a development firm interested in converting them into housing. Both sides agreed to a twoyear arrangement that allows BNIM to secure various tax credits and financing opportunities. It’s a bit of a gamble, as it requires the schools to first secure a historic designation. That could take time, so the district agreed to pay the costs to maintain
“I don’t think we’ll fully realize the costs of maintaining our buildings until we’re fully out of those three elementary schools,” Fager said, “but I think we’ll see some substantial savings this year.”
At one point, the district estimated it would save about $500,000 per year in lower utility costs by consolidating the three elementaries into one, newer building.
— Superintendent Stacey Fager
It’s going to take some time to figure out just how much the district will save by combining three elementary schools into one.From an operational standpoint, the new building is bound to be more efficient.
the buildings for another two years. Meanwhile, at least two outside organizations asked to lease the buildings for the next school year. That will offset some of those maintenance costs.
I don’t think we’ll fully realize the costs of maintaining our buildings until we’re fully out of those three elementary schools.
‘Substantial savings’ expected
It has all new, advanced mechanical systems — heating and cooling, water and sewer, electrical, lighting, fire protection and technical systems. The new elementary school was designed to protect those systems from the elements, housing them inside the building. Much of the equipment is located on a second-floor mezzanine with easy access for repairs, which will make it easier for mechanics to work on the machines as well as prolong their life spans.
“We’ve already reduced two classified positions and administrative positions,” he said. “That’s savings we’ve been able to roll intoDistrictsalaries.”officials hoped the savings in utilities and salaries would be able to be put back into those areas. But with sharp increases in inflation over the past year, that could take much of the benefit.
kind of driving us not only to get things finished but also to come together.”
“There was a sense of purpose that was
The short timeframe forced teachers to work together to organize, sort and prepare their rooms.
In a way, every teacher at Iola Elementary School is new this year.
“That’s the mindset I went into it with, and the teachers jumped in and did it with the whole community’s help. The beautiful part is you’re bringing three different buildings together to accomplish a task that looks impossible, and they’re building
Principal Andy Gottlob felt a sense of wonder as he watched it happen. During the past couple of years, as the district prepared for this moment, they often talked about the need to build a new culture.Each of the three elementary schools had its own culture, and administrators knew they would need to create a new one as they brought together teachers and staff under one roof.
Teachers bond in new facility
“Having been in education and as a coach, there’s one thing every educator knows. You’re not going to get more out of a kid than you expect. So if you expect it, you’re going to get it,” Gottlob said.
“Each year you have the newness of the year, but not this kind of bonding,” Caillouet-Weiner said.
“I feel like it’s a great year to come on board. Everybody is new so I fit right in,” she
Caillouet-Weiner agreed.
The situation forced everyone to come together as a team.
their own culture as they’re doing it.”
Laura Caillouet-Weiner packs up her classroom at Jefferson and prepares to move to Iola Elementary School.
Andsaid.it also includes veterans like Laura Caillouet-Weiner, who taught at Jefferson Elementary School for more than 40 years but moved into a new building for the first
Fifth grade teacher Hailey Hugunin talks with one of her students, Sydney Johnston and her family at the open house on Aug. 16.
A New Era For Iola | 18
That includes teachers like Hailey Hugunin, a fifth grade teacher who is joining USD 257 this year after running a preschool. She is excited not only to start a new job, but in a new building.
Thetime.teachers had just seven days to move into the building before an open house on Aug. 16. That meant unpacking boxes and setting up classrooms even as construction crews continued to complete last-minute work.
“As an experienced teacher going through this, it’s been heartwarming. My whole life was in Jefferson. Now I have a newness. And that culture Andy spoke about is true. We’re all coming together for the kids.”
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Construction of the building took about a year and a half. Above, masonry crews work to build the structure. At right, electrical conduit is installed.
A second-floor mezzanine houses much of the mechnical equipment.
School board members look at blueprints.
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A look at construction.areacommonstheduring
Staff unload trailers during the move-in process.
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Reducing absenteeism in school is expected to be one of the biggest benefits of the Superintendentservice. Stacey Fager said he is most intrigued by the possibility of reducing chronic absenteeism.
The district has partnered with the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas to provide school-based services at no charge to families.
It also would allow a student to seek
An on-site health clinic means Iola Elementary students who get sick can seek immediate treatment.
CHC/SEK will work in tandem with a child’s family physician. The school-based services are not intended to replace that relationship. Instead, the service allows students to quickly see a provider during a typical school day.
“I definitely support it. I think it’s a great thing for our families,” said Andy Gottlob, school principal.
A New Era For Iola | 23
Health clinic offers on-site care
The clinic will be located at the new school, which was designed with two nurse’s offices and features other space that can be used for the clinic.
health care with minimal disruption to their school day. A typical visit to school-based services takes 20 minutes; children often must take a half-day away from school to attend a standard medical appointment.CHC/SEKhas similar clinics in several other school districts, including those at Pittsburg, Labette County and Baxter Springs.Thedistrict also offers mental health support through the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center.
CHC/SEK will continue to provide the district with two nurses, and will add a school health assistant. An advanced practicing registered nurse and a pediatrician will be at the school two or three half-days each week.
A school nurse is on staff to tend students who are ill, while an on-site health clinic addresses a variety of needs such as well-child checkups, immunizations, tests for infectious diseases and injuries, as well as writing prescriptions. Health care services are provided by the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas.
Families will not have to pay out-ofpocket costs, such as co-pays, for the school-based services, though the services will be billed to insurance for those who haveTakingit. advantage of the service is voluntary, and parents or legal guardians must consent either at the beginning of the school year or on a visit-by-visit basis.
“Our administration teams talk a lot about ways we can keep students in school,” Fager said. “It’s a way to get services for students that don’t already have them. Giving everyone the same opportunity is very important to the district.”
Students and faculty can access the clinic as needed for a variety of health care needs, including those beyond the services typically provided by a school nurse. That could include well-child checkups, immunizations, tests for infectious diseases like strep throat, as well as writing prescriptions.
The clinic is situated near the main entrance, allowing parents or guardians to be present for their child’s appointment, without gaining access to other areas of the school. Having the clinic near the entrance also limits potential exposure of illness to other students and staff.
Iola ElementaryOpeningDay—
Elementary School — Aug. 17, 2022
He pointed to an immediate benefit for Iola Middle School.
It wasn’t always going to be this big, the sparkling new Iola Elementary School gymnasium.Infact,architects originally planned for a smaller venue, akin to similar construction projects at Iola High School and Iola Middle School when those buildings were redone 30 years
Gym is a spacious showpiece
Butago.when architects presented plans to the USD 257 Board of Education, members realized the original concept was too small for the district’s needs.
“I am relieved to be in the new gym because of the safety factor,” PE teacher Chris Weide said.
Because the gymnasiums in Iola’s three old elementary schools doubled as cafeterias, it meant hazards aplenty, such as finding spots for tables, and only a few inches from the end of the gym floor to the stage.“The corners were a hazard and I was always nervous someone would run into them,” Weide said. “We would stand our gymnastics mats up to help provide a barrier, but it was far from ideal.”
The larger facility offers multiple benefits, in and out of physical education classes, school officials note.
periods, Weide said. The curtain also will likely be dropped for the youngest classes, so they will be less apt to getting lost in such a large“Therearea.isalso the option of sharing the gym with regular classes during their recess times during bad weather days,” Weide said. “The students definitely need the opportunity to be up and moving and burn some of their extra energy so they can be focused in the classroom.”
“They’veeducation.taughtin two and sometimes three schools in one day,” Weide said. “We made it work, but there was a lot of hauling equipment from building to building and some daily travel time as well.”
That issue also goes away with the new building.“Thenew schedule allows us to spend much more time with our students and is a much more efficient process,” Weide said.
“I give board member Jen Taylor credit on this,” Board member Dan Willis told the Register this spring. “She’s the one who said ‘That gym’s not big enough.’ So we made it bigger. It added about $1.4 million to the budget, but it’s worth it.”
“That means the middle school can have practice after school,” Baumwart said.
AND THEN there are the benefits outside the classroom, particularly for sports teams needing suitable practice areas, notes Matt
In years past, those JV and C team games were at the middle school, forcing the middle-schoolers to practice early in the morning.“It’sjust a better system,” Baumwart said.
Now, the gym is large enough to host multiple classes or recess sessions simultaneously, courtesy of a curtain that can divide the room in half, and wide enough to fit a pair of regulation basketball courts side-by-side.
It also opens the door for Iola to host additional large-scale sporting events, such as a midseason basketball tournament already planned for mid-January.
Baumwart credits IHS Principal Scott Carson for putting the tournament framework in place last year.
“When we just had one space, it really wasn’t doable,” Baumwart said. “There are lots of things we could do with this space. It’s a nice size.”
“The gym and the new school really are amazing places,” Weide said. “Everyone who teaches and works here is excited for the school year. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of us to be teaching in a brand new school. Everyone who gets to be here on a daily basis and the community will be very proud of the new school.”
Jason Bates teaches physical education classes for grades 3-5.
A New Era For Iola | 26
Now, when Iola hosts a basketball or volleyball opponent, the C team and some junior varsity games can be played at the elementary school and not at IMS.
The curtain will allow Weide and Bates to share the gym for a pair of 30-minute
In past years, Weide would split time between McKinley and Jefferson elementary schools, while Bates would rotate between Lincoln Elementary and Iola Middle School.
Shuttling from building to building was a fact of life for Weide, Bates and other “specials,” the designation given to instructors for such things as art, music or physical
Baumwart, athletic director for Iola High.
Those issues have been eradicated with the new “Theregym.isplenty of space to safely do any activity we come up with,” Weide said. “It is going to be an awesome place to teach and learn.”Weide will teach grades kindergarten through second grade, as he’s done in the past. Jason Bates will once again handle grades 3-5.
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For every subject, the library has multiple reading levels suitable for pre-kindergartens up to fifth grade.
“Our library was so small that when I had a class come in, we had to close the library to everyone else. It was too disruptive otherwise,” she said.
“We’ve been able to get two reading levels for most of our books, including, it seems basset hounds, but our budget hasn’t allowed us to expand.”
“Say you were looking for a particular breed of dog, like a basset hound. Our goal is to have three reading levels on each subject, so everyone has a chance to learn.
Sigg taught elementary school for 28 years before becoming a media library specialist in 2017 at Lincoln Elementary School.
It’s by being technologically adept that students become good readers, good researchers and good learners in today’s world.That said, Prather is a big believer in physical books, simply because they build strong
“My kindergarteners can do most things adults in our world can’t do,” Prather said, including how to create Google Docs and take videos and photos.
“For fourth- and fifth-graders we encourage them to read the first 15 or 20 pages and if they don’t like it, turn it back in.”
“But to make that happen, the books need to be on their reading and interest level so that they can either be read to, or be read with, or read by themselves.”
that when a student checks out a book, “it’s for as long as they want it, through a process of renewals,” said Sigg.
“I know that’s kind of hard to believe, but if you teach it in a systematic way, kindergartners can do anything.”
That’s why there will be no “hushing” or
“This one is a pink dot, signifying the easiest reading level. And that’s all we have. So we need to get more books on German shepherds.”Havingall the books in one place rather than spread across the three attendance centers helps show the gaps in the overall collection.
“If a child is reading something that he can’t comprehend, he’s not going to love it and then he’s not going to make the connection,” Prather said. “So, we want the very best books in his hands for that opportunity to happen.”
A school gets double its money with its librarians because not only do they have teaching degrees but also master’s degrees in library science.
“If reading isn’t social for this generation, they’re not going to read. Reading must be an interactive process.”
Sigg looks for books on German shepherds. Again, she strikes out.
Library is ‘new realm of teaching’
“Now the library will be open to students all day long,” Sigg said.
Prather and Sigg also teach the children how to use technology.
The new library is a stark contrast. Not only is it spacious, but on either side are classrooms solely for library instruction.
The school library is flush with natural light and rows and rows of books.
Iola Elementary School’s librarians are Daryl Sigg and Tammy Prather, former elementary school teachers who then became library media specialists.
PRATHER said her primary goal is “to connect students with books that will make a meaningful difference in their lives.”
Daryl Sigg
Another advantage of the new library is
“Thereaders.physical interaction with the book and the person either reading to them or sharing the book is how students learn how to read,” she said.
Prather has been with USD 257 for 18 years, most recently bouncing between Jefferson, Lincoln and McKinley elementary schools.“I’mso excited to have all the books and all my readers under one roof,” she said.
It’s the same for librarians.
Being a school librarian “opens up a whole new realm of teaching,” said Sigg. “I teach them things that a classroom teacher doesn’t teach. Next week fifth-graders will start a research project, so I’ll be teaching them how to use the library to research.”
What is every teacher’s goal? To flip the light switch. To witness the moment a child grasps a concept.
A New Era For Iola | 28
Their goal, Sigg said, is to have the right kind of book for every kind of reader. She heads to a section on dogs.
Prather adds one more criterion to a successful library experience: That it be social.“Handing a child a cell phone or a tablet and telling them to go ‘read’ in a corner does not make a reader. Teaching someone how to read is a social activity, a back-and-forth discussion,” she said.
“It’s the prettiest library in Southeast Kansas, and I’d venture we’re at least in the top five in Kansas for school libraries,” she said.
"We’ve already spent about $13,000 on new books,” Prather said. “That sounds like a lot, but at $25 a book, it goes quickly.”
“I’ll never forget former librarian Deb
“shushing” in the library.
The library’s collection is about 24,000 books, the average age is 2004.
“I want the books to match the space,” she said as she looked around the new library.
“This is from the 1980s. Our goal is to get rid of all non-fiction books from the 1980s because we should be giving our kids current information in the method that they interact with daily.
PratherTammy
Prather pulls out a book about gorillas. The binding has been chewed. The pages are dog-eared and yellowed.
Project Bookshelf has raised about $33,585 so far from 126 donors.
In gathering ideas for the new library, Prather and others toured other school libraries.“Assoon as the bond issue passed (in April of 2019) Darryl and I scheduled an appointment to see Blue Valley Elementary School’s library. It was amazing. And they shared a lot of their insights and suggestions, which we were able to tailor for our“Thisneeds.one is as nice as theirs,” she said. “We want for nothing — except lots of new books.”
CONGRATS USD 257
“Though the information about gorillas hasn’t probably changed too much, the way it is presented, has.
Greenwall’s impression of visiting a new school library but her disappointment when she saw all of its books were old. The disconnect was obvious. What good is a new library if all of its books are ancient?”
TO DONATE to Project Bookshelf, send donations to: USD 257 Endowment Association, Attn: Project Bookshelf, 305 N. Washington Ave., Iola, KS 66749
PRATHER also lauded the fundraising efforts of Project Bookshelf from which proceeds go to purchase new books for the library.Butfirst, background.theFundingfor school libraries has firstunderfunded,districtsyears.precipitouslydroppedoverrecent“Whenschoolareoneofthethingstheycutarelibrarian positions and books,” said Prather. “Our funding now with the three attendance centers combined is what one attendance center received 20 yearsTheago.”trend, Prather said, is to eliminate
school libraries and professional librarians and instead opt for individual classrooms to have a small collection of books.
And while the librarians are over the moon about the school district’s commitment to the library, the reality is that its collection needs updating.
“We want this to be a space where children interact with the books, with each other, and with the adults in the room,” she said.To that end, Prather is looking for volunteers to come read with students every morning from 7:30 to 8:30.
Prather positively gushes when she talks about her new quarters.
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And while the new school offers an impressive space for special education, ANW Cooperative Director Korenne Wolken is most excited to have everyone under one roof.USD 257 offers multiple specialized programs, which serve students with all types of Previously,disabilities. those programs were spread among different elementary schools, and students of all age levels would get services at whichever building offered the necessary services. For example, significantly disabled students of all ages would be in one building, and students with intellectual disabilities might be in another.
“It’s a lot for a student to have to lay there and let someone wipe them versus being able to shower. It’s probably a lot more comfortable, and just better,” Wolken said.
The special education classrooms are built into a storm shelter. That means if there’s a tornado or other severe weather, special education students won’t need to leave their classrooms. Instead, other students will seek shelter with Architectsthem.sought the advice of special education staff in the design process.
Students from other districts also travel to Iola to access the specialized programs here.
The same applies to special education staff. They’re going to be in close proximity to each other and other staff. They can learn from and support each other. They can share resources. They can offer advice to a student’s teacher as he or she moves through grade levels.Special education services are quite broad. They can include speech and language therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, gifted, physical disabilities, intellectual and cognitive disabilities, behavioral and social-emotional concerns.
Wolken was still a teacher at that time, and she said she appreciated the opportunity to talk about features that would be beneficial to students and staff.
A New Era For Iola | 31
As a result, IES offers features not found in manyRestrooms,schools. including a shower, are located next to each classroom. The value was proven on the first day of school, when a student had an accident. In the past, a teacher would have to use wipes to clean the student. But now, the teacher could help the student shower and clean up much more efficiently.
The building also offers a “quiet room” where students can go to calm down if they are having behavioral or social-emotional concerns. The special education wing has
“We want all of our students to have access to their same-age peers. These are the kids they’re growing up with. These are the students they’re going to walk across the stage with when they graduate. We want them to have the opportunity to build relationships so they can have the same interactions.”
its own room designed for those students, but there are also private conference rooms throughout the building that can be used by all students and staff.
THE BUILDING was designed with
“It doesn’t matter if a student is identified (with special needs) or not, sometimes kids just get overwhelmed and need a place to go,” Wolken said. “Even as an adult, sometimes I need to get away and shut my door. It’s important to recognize that little ones need that sometimes. Now, we’re able to give all kids that opportunity.”
“Some students need to have their food pureed. Now they can have that done right there.”Students will also learn how to use the kitchen and other basic life skills.
In all, USD 257 offers special education services to 143 students, or about 13% of the student population.
“We’re really excited to have those spaces,” Wolken
A special place for education
The kitchen allows staff to meet the specialized dietary needs of certain students without leaving the area.
But perhaps the school’s most unique feature of all is a “life skills classroom” and small kitchen and laundry facilities located in the special education wing.
“I kind of stepped into this mid-stream,” she said. “It was nice that they took the advice and opinions of our special education staff.”
The new Iola Elementary School allows all elementary special education students to stay in one building, where they can attend specialized programs to address their unique educational needs as well as interact with their same-age peers.
Not only would they be separate from each other, “they would be separated from their same-age peers,” Wolken said.
“Theysaid.dida good job of considering all of the needs of our students, their physical and social-emotional needs as well as their academic needs.”
A special education classroom, above, includes restroom and shower facilities. At right is a room with a kitchen to meet special dietary needs and teach life skills.
special education students in mind.
It’s all on one level, which makes it easier for students with disabilities.
It’s important for special education students to grow up with their peers.
“I’ll probably give him a hug,” Brady said.
Separated by four years, the brothers have never attended the same school before because of the school district’s previous system of attendance centers.
to the new school.
As the family takes a trial run of the route to school, the parents gently remind the boys about pedestrian etiquette, including walking facing the traffic, getting to the side of the road when cars approach, looking both ways at an intersection and, most importantly, paying attention to their surroundings.“It’sgoingto be an adjustment for drivers to see this increase in foot traffic,” Brandon said. “That’s why we’re stressing to the boys that it’s on them to be responsible for their safety.”Onthis particular day, the temperature was bumping 100 degrees, which oddly brought memories of winter.
For several weeks before school began, the family rehearsed the route the boys will take
Brady Thomas peers through the windows of the new school a few weeks before it opened.
“We’re thankful Tyler is getting in under the wire,” Lindzey said of his entering fifth grade.The family has lived on Kansas Drive for eight“Thisyears.isour first home that we’ve owned,” said Lindzey. “We had the intention of being here for 10 years and then upgrading as the boys got bigger. But now, we’re not going anywhere, at least until Brady completes grade school. And then we’ll see what happens from there.”
“We’ve always dreamed of raising the boys in a place where once they got a certain age, they could get around by themselves. They’ll have that experience now,” said Brandon. Both parents are involved with their children’s education. Brandon has served on the school’s site council for the past six years and Lindzey never shies from planning holiday-themed parties for the classes.
Brothers relish new independence
Tyler turns bright red and slinks down on the sofa, sandwiched between his parents.
Before now, it’s been Brandon’s responsibility to drive the boys to their respective schools in the morning and Lindzey’s to pick them up at day’s end.
“This will give them a little more independence,” said Brandon Thomas. “Getting to school on your own builds your confidence.”“It’samilestone to walk to school without us around,” added Lindzey.
the thermostat. It’ll be so nice to be where everything is new.”
Lindzey works from home for My Town Media where she does voice work. Brandon works for the City of Iola’s water department.
“In the dead of winter, Brady insisted on wearing only a T-shirt because his classroom was always so hot,” Lindzey said of the school’s erratic HVAC system. “Sometimes they’d go out into the hallways just to cool off because there was no way to control
The parents are eager for the opportunity for their children to walk to school, which is about a half-mile from their home on Kansas Drive. From their front door to the school, it’s a 10-minute walk.
The family passed by a sunken courtyard placed in between two of the building’s wings.“Ilove the creative touches that the architects have included,” said Lindzey. “I appreciate how they’ve taken a little more time to make things special.”
While Tyler was at Lincoln, Brady was at Jefferson.Nowthat students from pre-K up through fifth grade are under one roof at the new Iola Elementary School, Brandon was asked what his reaction will be on the occasion he sees his brother passing by.
Brady and Tyler are the children of Brandon and Lindzey Thomas.
“I’ve dreamed of a new elementary school ever since we had Ty,” said Brandon. “And now, how could you be a kid and not want to go to school there. It’s so big and beautiful.”
A New Era For Iola | 32
The Thomas family, from left, Brandon, Brady, Tyler and Lindzey.
Lindzey likes the idea of a morning walk for the “Maybeboys.it will help them be a little more alert in class,” she said.
Brady Thomas said he looks forward to the times he might see his big brother, Tyler, at the new Iola Elementary School.
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school,” Shannon said.
“If I knew there was a crosswalk with a traffic signal that required cars to stop, I’d consider letting them ride their bikes to
excited because it’s a new building. The good thing is that it will be new for everyone," Shannon said. “And he already knows the vice principal, Mrs. Koehn, and the principal, Mr. Gottlob, so that helps.”“Iwant the same teacher as last year,” pipes up Matthew.
A New Era For Iola | 35
“She was organized, which is something Matthew really appreciated,” Shannon said.
ANTHONY also works at B&W, but he has the day shift. They’ve been together for five years.
And if Matthew, age 9, could have Mrs. Helms again this year for fourth grade, that would be just fine with him.
“Well, Isaac is more nervous than
That a push-button traffic signal has been installed helps. The signal alerts motorists of pedestrians but does not require them to come to a stop. Officers are also at the school to help monitor traffic.Currently, she is driving the boys to the new elementary school every morning. Which makes for a long "night.”
Shannon works the night shift at B&W Trailer Hitches in Humboldt, from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., usually returning home by 7 Becausea.m. the boys eat breakfast at school, timeliness is an issue. The window for breakfast is from 7:30 to 7:55 each morning. The shuttle to the new school stops at each of the old elementary schools as well as the middle school.Because the shuttle service cuts it close, Shannon is reconsidering that the boys make their own way to school. She’s especially intrigued with the new Missouri Pacific Trail that would allow the boys to ride their bikes to the new school almost entirely free of traffic.
“I want to make sure crossing Kentucky is safe,” said their mother, noting the street is typically busy and will be even more so once school begins. “Traffic is our biggest concern.”
"She wanted us to keep things in order and I think I was the only one who did it,” he said. “And she was super nice.”
“Yeah, right. We remind them of it everyShannonday.” adds, “They’re old enough to know, but still young enough they don’t always follow.”
The new Iola Elementary School is about three-fourths of a mile away. Initially, the family is planning for the younger boys to walk to the middle school where they will take a shuttle bus to the new elementary school on Kentucky Street.
Ever since they’ve been in school, Isaac, Matthew, Xavier and Joseph have either walked or ridden their bikes to school. The boys and their parents, Anthony Holding and Shannon Jones, live in the 400 block of North Sycamore, conveniently situated among the town's various schools.
For Joseph, age 13, an eighth-grader at Iola Middle School, the trek is just a 3-minute bike ride from home.
“Sometimes, I walk,” Joseph said. “That way my mind has time to wander before I get to school. It wanders a lot,” he says with a Aboutsmile.adozen or so students typically ride their bikes to the middle school, Joseph said.
The Holding-Jones family, from left, sons Matthew, Joseph, Isaac and Xavier, with parents Anthony and Shannon.
When asked if the boys are past the age of needing to remind them about how to ride their bikes safely, Anthony shakes his head sideways.
“Oh, he always wants the same teacher,” said Shannon.
THE BOYS are excited about the new school, Shannon said.
Boys embrace trek to school
As they head out the door, Lauren and Dakota quiz the kids about safety.
A New Era For Iola | 36
Knox affirms that one day, that will be him out
The Hufferd family. From left, sons Jax and Knox. Parents are Dakota and Lauren.
“It seemed like it would be a long way away,” said Lauren. In fact, the distance is just a little over a mile, a 10-minute bike ride for Knox; or a 25-minute walk for the family.
“It was only two blocks away, and we made sure he walked his bike across Washington Avenue, which can be pretty busy,” Dakota said.Knox’s success has his parents considering that he can make the same trek each day from the new elementary school.
“Once my schedule changes, we’ll be back in action,” he said.
“It’s a little crazy around the school. But everybody is respectful.”
Each day after school last year, Knox rode
The family has lived on North Sycamore since 2009. Lauren was born and raised in Iola “and never lived anywhere else.” She graduated from Iola High School in 2007, a year after MarriedDakota.12years, the young couple are devoted to their children and being a family.
his bike from Jefferson to the Munchkinland Day Care Center on Neosho Street where his parents would pick him up after work.
“We haven’t fully decided on that,” said Lauren, casting a sideways glance to Dakota.
Hufferds discover easy route
And the most important rule?
Once at Kentucky Street, the family stopped in unison to survey the traffic and then carefully cross. Since their trial run, a warning signal has been installed. Push the button and flashing lights alert motorists of pedestrians crossing the street.
Fromthere.there
Lauren and Dakota Hufferd and their two sons, Knox, age 7, and Jax, age 4, were excited to map out the course to the new Iola Elementary School from their home in the 1000 block of North Sycamore.
“We’re an outdoorsy family,” said Lauren. “And I think the exercise is a good way for the kids to start their day. It gets their bodies moving.”“It’salso safe,” said Dakota. “There are no bad neighborhoods here.”
The idea of riding a bike to school comes naturally for the Hufferd family.
Stop at every stop sign. Look both ways. If it’s busy, walk your bike across the street.
Cottonwood and Lincoln were relatively busy, but with sidewalks on either side, they were good options. From Lincoln Street the family turned onto the quiet two blocks of North Oak Street that opens up to the tennis courts and ball fields.
For the most part they stayed on streets with sidewalks, turning east on Cottonwood to Lincoln, then over on North Oak Street to
The boys stop their bikes to watch a middle school football practice.
Because he reports to work at 6:30 a.m. during the summer, Dakota’s schedule does not allow him and Knox to ride their bikes to school at the beginning of the school year.
“We just like to do things together,” Lauren said simply.
“I remember the bike rack at school being packed when I was a kid,” Dakota said. “We lived on our bikes.”
Dakota works for the City of Iola’s electric department as a lineman.
Last year, Dakota accompanied Knox on their bikes to Jefferson Elementary School each day when Knox was in first grade. Now a second-grader, “it'll be no big deal,” Knox said with confidence. Maybe even unaccompanied.Onlyahandful of students rode their bikes to Jefferson, Knox said. The attendance center was for first and second grades. He expects to see a lot more bikes at the new elementary school where an estimated 600 students attend for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
Lauren commented about the ease of living in “I’mtown.pretty spoiled because I’m just seven blocks from work,” she said of her business, Class Act Salon.
Dakota said they expect the traffic to be busier when school begins.
connect to the new MoPac rail trail.
Which side of the road do you ride your bike?“Going against the traffic,” Knox answers.
For Dakota, an avid athlete, the walk that warm August evening “was too slow. I’ll definitely be riding my bike and not walking next time,” he joked.
it was a straight shot to the new school along the new path that avoids all main thoroughfares. The path intersects First through Fourth streets, which have little traffic. The kids also slowed at each alleyway to make sure they were clear.
“Don’t try to beat the traffic,” Dakota says firmly to the antsy boys. “We wait until the coast is clear.”
“Well, we break that rule if there’s a sidewalk,” Lauren said.
Walking to school provided a good time for the family to talk.
Even Jax is included in the conversation as he zips around on his pint-sized bike. When the family passes his preschool, Ready, Set, Learn, on North Cottonwood Street, Jax wants to veer off the route to go to “my school.”Totest the best route to the new elementary school, Lauren and Dakota walked while the boys rode their bikes.
Iola, KS (620) 365-6908 Humboldt, KS (620) 473-3831
The after-school and summer program has operated at Jefferson Elementary School for more than 20 years, using classrooms and the gym for its educational programs.
The summer program serves students up through eighth grade.
Moran, KS (620) 237-4631
don’t think students realize how much they are learning. Something like dissecting a shark isn’t something they’re going to get to do during a regular school day,” she said.
Traditionally, the after-school program begins the first week of September. It will continue to serve students in kindergarten through sixth grade.
SAFE BASE works because it is fun, she said.“I
P S I INSURANCELOREN KORTE ROSAN psi-insurance.comWILLIAMS
Director Angela Henry said she’s still learning how SAFE BASE will look at the new school, but she’s excited about the opportunities afforded by the more modern building.
A home base for SAFE BASE
Funding, primarily through state and federal grants, has been secured to continue through 2027. There is no charge for students to attend the programs.
SAFE BASE has a new home base.
Angela Henry
Now, it will have offices at the new Iola Elementary School and use space there.
similar programs. She’s also been asked to speak at various educational programs on a national level.“We’ve establishedbeenfor such a long time. We have a great staff, and a lot of them have been with us for years,” she said. “We’ve also had the support of the district and the city, which is really unusual in a lot of places.”
“With being in a new building and a new environment, there will be new experiences and new opportunities.”
“There’s going to be a learning curve,” she“Onesaid.of the things I’m looking forward to is not having to bus any of the kids except sixth-graders. Kindergarten through fifth grade is already going to be in the building, so we’ll have extra time. Plus, all of the teachers are already in the building.”Iola’sSAFE BASE program has been so successful over the years, Henry is asked to mentor other programs across the state. She typically works with one or two other districts each year, helping them set up
CONGRATULATIONS ON A JOB WELL DONE!
It’s a bit of a gamble, school board members learned as they agreed to wait as long as two years to see if BNIM can secure the necessary financing to make the deal a reality. It requires the former schools to be listed as historic properties, which would make them eligible for special historic tax credits. That process can take time.
But so far, everything looks favorable for the project. At an Aug. 22 school board meeting, district leaders said BNIM expects to follow through with its plans.
That process could take about a year for Jefferson and McKinley, and up to another year for Lincoln. The district will be responsible for maintenance of the buildings until those transfers are completed.Theprojected timeline calls for the projects to be completed in 2024, if all
A New Era For Iola | 38
The board approved using McKinley for the program over the summer and the 2022-23 school year.
The company wants to convert all three of the buildings into housing, investing about $20 million.
There’s life in those old buildings yet.
The second phase would be renovating Lincoln into 22 apartments, while the third phase would look at the properties surrounding the buildings and determine what might work best. That could include other types of housing, such as singlefamily homes or duplexes. It could also include green space to promote healthy living.Alot of the costs are unknown, especially as the construction, labor and supply chain issues remain unpredictable.Underthedeal, BNIM would partner with two other entities to secure financing including tax credits for low-income housing and historic preservation.
The board agreed to a memorandum of understanding that would allow them to transfer ownership once various conditions are met.
Before voting to build a new elementary school, Iola residents wanted assurances that the district would make responsible decisions on the fate of the three vacated facilities: McKinley, Lincoln and Jefferson.
Because of requirements for the tax credits, BNIM would be required to maintain ownership of the buildings for at least 15 years. They would hire a property management company to oversee the buildings once they are completed and ready for rental.
When the board agreed to the deal in February, Board president Dan Willis said: “This is what the community wanted to hear, that we had a plan for these buildings to not be torn down and be put to good use. Here tonight, we delivered a plan that exceeded expectations.”
The day school program requires one of the most restrictive environments offered through ANW. The program provides services to students who have behavioral issues that prohibit them from successful interaction with their peers.
McKinley Jefferson Lincoln
Former schools eyed for apartments
IN THE meantime, at least two other entities are leasing the facilities.
In August, the ANW Special Education Cooperative asked to use the former Lincoln Elementary School for its day school program this year, after the state fire marshal declared a building in Chanute can no longer house the program without renovations. ANW will pay for utilities and some maintenance this year, taking those costs off the district.
The district asked for suggestions, and Thrive Allen County helped board members connect with BNIM, an architecture and design firm based in Kansas City, Mo.
THE PLAN calls for renovating Jefferson and McKinley in the first phase of construction, which could start as early as next BNIMyear.hopes to create about 39 apartments between those two buildings. That phase would require about $13 million.
In May, the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center asked to use McKinley for its Southeast Kansas Achievers (SEKA) program. It’s similar to the ANW day school, and offers after-school and all-day summer programs to help youth develop social and behavioral skills.
goes according to plan.
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“We’ve just moved into the new buildings,” Fager said. “But there are ideas on how we can make that happen in the future.”
THERE’S a good reason to build a new high school, Fager noted, and it’s not just the age of the old one — though that’s also a concern, as maintenance and energy efficiencies could be greatly improved with a new building.
2014 effort failed. And it had been 72 years since the district built a new school.
Superintendent Stacey Fager imagines it won’t take long before the community starts to talk about the future of Iola High School.
In a way, those conversations have already begun. A steering committee that put together the 2019 school bond issue also worked on a strategic plan that could
The juxtaposition could soon become obvious.Onthe east side of town, there’s a shiny new elementary school, designed with the future in mind and featuring modern amenities and security features.
eventually shift the high school to the east of Cottonwood Street.
It wasn’t easy to pass that school bond. A
The Iola High School campus, foreground, could move east in the future. A parking lot is being built at the site of a former science building, to the left of the new science center. The new elementary school can be seen in the very top, center. DRONE PHOTO COURTESY OF BIG SQUARE MEDIA
A New Era For Iola | 40
It’s no wonder, then, that district officials are a little reluctant to talk about potentially building a new high school — even years down the road.
Of course, any such plans are still years away.Right now, the district is still celebrating the opening of its elementary school, settling into the science building and adapting to more consistent temperatures from the new HVAC equipment at Iola Middle School — all projects made possible as part of the 2019 school bond.
And after students grow up in that environment, they’ll eventually transition to one of the oldest high school buildings in Kansas, at nearly 110 years old.
What does the future hold?
It was with that goal in mind that they designed the new science building. It’s strategically located east of Cottonwood, as perhaps the first building in what could eventually become a new IHS campus.
“Every hour, a third to one-half of our student population is outside the building.”
It also would move the high school closer to the middle school, perhaps offering opportunities for students and faculty to share resources.
Security is the biggest issue.
The new science and technology building, with cafeteria and commons area, was part of the 2019 bond issue and opened in the fall of 2021.
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A NEW high school could start with the science building.
The former science building and cafeteria just north of the new facility was demolished this summer, with a parking lot under construction at the site.
“There is time for that discussion to start happening in the next few years. But I can see that once we are settled into the new facilities and get used to them, what can set the Iola district apart and make young families want to locate here is because of the synergy we have with our schools, our facilities and our community.”
That means students and faculty frequently cross one or two streets every day, multiple times a day, to attend classes scattered among the buildings and eat meals.That’s a huge security risk, especially during an era where mass shootings at school make the news on a too-frequent basis.The new elementary school will feature state-of-the-art security systems.
“Those discussions haven’t happened yet because our focus has been on the science building and the elementary school,” Fager said, emphasizing those are just some ideas that have been suggested.
high school, it’s likely to connect to the science building.
Perhaps the commons and gymnasium can be used for the city’s recreation department. Perhaps the city and school district could team up for some other type
If voters eventually agree to build a new
SO WHAT about the old high school?
of community need, such as an indoor aquatic center at the site of the old school. Centering community recreational activities near the middle and high school would have widespread benefits to both citizens and students.
But that’s almost a moot point, because of the frequency that students must travel between the buildings, Fager pointed out.
That would improve safety by eliminating the need for students to move between buildings. A new facility also would include the most up-to-date safety systems.
And the new science building will have additional security features similar to an older system used at the main high school building where visitors must be buzzed in.
The current campus is divided by Cottonwood Street. The main building to the west of Cottonwood includes most classes, a gymnasium and commons area. To the east, is the new science building and its cafeteria, along with a building for agriculture and welding classes. Most of the available parking is also located east of Cottonwood, and north of Monroe Street.
The structure, which opened in the fall of 2021, includes classrooms for science, robotics, and family and consumer sciences; some classrooms also double as a storm shelter. The building also features a cafeteria and a large commons area.
Again, district officials have some ideas but it’s still too early to know what the end result could be.
At 90 years young, Bain is part of Iola’s old guard, a generation that now observes a school district and community they once led. A fellow member of that guard, and one of the few who can match Bain for dedication to both USD 257 and Iola, is Bill Shirley. Shirley, 84, served as assistant principal and principal of Iola Middle School for eight years after more than a dozen as a history teacher. He served as a city commissioner for a decade and was mayor for two years. Shirley, who went into education after 22 years in the military, was also a professor at Allen Community College for more
“You know,” said Bain as he arrived at the cafeteria and looked at the glass facade, “this new school will save the district some money on utilities. But there’s one thing they may not have considered,” he said, his mouth twisting into a smile. “With all this glass, the district will have to hire a window washer.”
As they head into the twilight of their lives, how do they regard the recent changes in Iola Public Schools? What do these men, who both spent the breadth of their lives in public service, think of where the district is heading?
Those forever Mustangs
You couldn’t keep Don Bain, former USD 257 school superintendent, away during the construction of the new elementary school.
It was something Shirley would have never thought necessary. “But you learn quickly.”Onehuge advantage to Iola’s new facilities, Shirley said, would be an edge in recruiting new families to Iola. He remembers how a candidate to be a new doctor in town asked Shirley, who was mayor at the time, if there was a dog park in town. There wasn’t. When the doctor moved elsewhere, Shirley got David Toland, then-CEO of Thrive Allen County, on the phone. “We need a dog park,” he told him.
SHIRLEY was quick to remember how well Jefferson, McKinley and Lincoln elementary schools served the community for“Thedecades.oldschool buildings have a lot of history,” he said. “They were well built. But they outlived their purpose. And I like that all these youngsters are at the same school now.
BAIN taught in Iola High School for six years, was principal for a dozen more, and then served as superintendent of schools for 14 years—32 years total in education.
than 20 years.
A New Era For Iola | 42
“Thereout.will be problems at the start. That’s going to happen. But then you correct them and move on. I remember when the middle school was renovated, we thought we had it all figured out,” he said, chuckling as he recalled a gym teacher who came to him distressed because there were no mirrors in the locker rooms.
“We forget how important education is when businesses here in Iola try to recruit new employees and their families,” said Shirley. “These new facilities will really help.”
Don Bain first stepped inside Iola Elementary School on July 26. The first day of school was in three weeks, and there was so much left to do. Getting the building ready in time seemed an impossible task.
As a 1951 graduate of Iola High School who then completed his associate degree from Iola Junior College (when it was still on the high school’s third floor), he jokes that he’s “spent more time in that building than anybody.”
“I just think it’s a fabulous deal. You can’t say enough nice things about the steering committee that started this process. I’m excited about the new school, and I think the community will be excited aboutShirleyit.” was principal of Iola Middle School when it was renovated in the mid-1990s, and he urged current administrators at the new elementary school to exercise patience as bugs get worked
Dozens of workers swarmed around him, and it became hard to keep track of all the movement. Carpet was being put down, fresh paint on walls, bookshelves installed. But in the sea of movement, Bain stood still, an island of calm as he took it all in. He spent a long moment peering out a classroom window, noting the slight angle of the ceiling that allowed for more natural light. He admired the cabinetry in students’ cubbies and inspected the storage closets.
Both Shirley and Bain had similar answers: this is a special moment.
by“I’veShirley.been retired for over 30 years,” said Bain. “But I’m still a Mustang. I have a closet full of blue and gold. This new school means something special to me and this community. I think of all the people who have been involved in it, in one way or another, and I’m so happy for them. And for all of us.”
recent demolition of the district’s old science center, saying that “when they start tearing down buildings you were responsible for building, you better believe the baton has been passed on.”
Bain also highlighted the increased opportunities teachers will have for collaboration. “Here’s the thing,” Bain said. “Teachers learn from teachers. Putting the three schools together will allow for more collaboration. The new school can’t help but increase communication among teachers, and that’s a good thing.”
FROM an administrative viewpoint, Bain said when he looks at Iola Elementary School “the first thing I think about is the savings involved by consolidating to one building. It may not be all gravy, as new buildings have new requirements. But they’re more efficient, and it’s much cheaper to heat and cool one building instead of three.”
But they seem at ease about where USD 257 is headed. “I am glad the board has come back around to believing in progress,” said Bain, a sentiment echoed
Bill Shirley at his home in Iola.
Bain smiled as he reflected on the
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FOR Bain and Shirley, their time at the helm has passed. Before deciding to end his career in local government, Shirley told the Register — back in 2012 — that while he cares “for the people of Iola and the people who live here,” it bothered him “to be making decisions for young families that they should be making.”
The Iola Elementary School Mustangs gather on the bleachers of the new gymnasium.
Go Mustangs!
At the middle school, 60% prefered Mustangs over Ponies.
Building a new elementary school seemed the ideal time to make the change. The district was bringing together students from three separate elementary schools, so why not bring together the entire student body under one mascot?
The Mustang logo is used to striking effect at the new elementary school. A largerthan-life mustang adorns the upper wall of the commons area, visible clear to Kentucky Street through the all-glass front of the building.OtherMustang logos dominate the walls of the office, gymnasium and elsewhere.
IHS graduate and longtime elementary teacher Laura Caillouet-Weiner is one of the original Fillies, going back to when the mascot was adopted in the 1970s. She calls herself “a die-hard Filly,” and it was difficult for her to see the name retired.
Previously, the three elementary schools used the Colts as their mascot. The middle school’s mascot was the Ponies. And at the high school, boys were Mustangs and girls were Fillies.
But in November 2019, controversy erupted when they suggested consolidating the school mascots into one: the Mustangs.
Some mourned the end of an era, especially when the Fillies played their final game before becoming Mustangs.
No one seemed to object when the school board decided to call the new building the Iola Elementary School.
At the high school, 63.7% preferred Mustangs over Mustangs and Fillies.
Plus, it made sense to use just one logo throughout all the buildings. Since they were starting fresh at the elementary level, they wouldn’t be replacing the logo.
Mighty Mustangs
But now, she’s seen how the Mustang mascot has become a unifying force for students at IES. They’re excited to all be on the same team.
Naming the new school was the easy part.
A survey of faculty and staff showed near-unanimous approval for the school name, with 99 percent of the 103 responses in Andfavor.though “The Mustangs” were chosen as the singular mascot at each building level, results were more divided. For the elementary school, 57.8% prefered Mustangs over Colts.
“I see the power of it,” she said.
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A high school student raised the issue over whether it was appropriate to have separate mascots for male and female sports teams.That sparked a philosophical discussion, but for some parents, the issue was more practical: When students advanced through the school system, they needed to buy different T-shirts and memorabilia to match the appropriate mascot. It would be simpler to have one mascot.
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Willis estimates the district saved at least $12 million because of the timing.
“He told us we had to deliver on time and on budget if we ever want to sell another bond issue. I want Chuck to know that we did it,” he said.
Yes, he’s already thinking about what comes next.
Willis Continued from 6
“It’s amazing what we can do when we all pull from the same end of the rope.”
that?”
THE OPENING of the new school brought smiles and sighs of Finally,relief. after all these years, a new“We’reschool.taking a little breather, but just for a few days,” Willis said. “We still have a 98-yearold middle school and a 109-year-old high school.”
to count their students before then, but they’re excited by preliminary enrollment figures.
“Can you imagine doing a $35 million project during COVID and to come in on budget and without compromise? Can you imagine
He’s excited about what the new school might mean for economic development in Iola and surrounding communities. He hopes businesses and families will want to move to Iola because of the quality education and modern amenities.Already, it looks like the district might see an increase in enrollment for the first time in decades. Those numbers won’t be official until late September and administrators are reluctant
Indeed, the board and administrators give Coonrod a great deal of credit, especially when it comes to financial savings. Coonrod’s bid process locked in prices just as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the construction industry. The pandemic drove up costs and created supply chain issues as well as labor shortages. Coonrod seemed to do everything right when it came to ordering materials and juggling crews who were often delayed because of COVID-related quarantines.
Willis is still stunned at the success of the construction project during one of the biggest challenges to face the world in decades.
Even after the science building was completed, Coonrod replaced numerous exterior bricks that didn’t meet the board’s exacting standards, at no extra cost.
The elementary school project pushed right up until the final days, with teachers given the OK to move into the building just seven days before an open house and the start of the school year.
A few minor construction items remain, and work likely will continue for at least 30 days.Inall, the district built the projects they wanted. They had to scale back some of the materials at the science building, but ended up with an even larger project at the elementary school because of various cost savings along the way.
He remembers something Chuck Apt, one of the steering committee members, said after the bond passed.
“I feel like we’re setting up this community for some really positive potential in the near future. It feels good. It feels like we made the right decisions,” WillisThroughoutsaid. the process, Willis felt the pressure to succeed. The stakes were always high, and even with the successful completion of two new buildings and upgrades at the middle school, there’s still work to do.
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