Concerns about space and a desire to consolidate buildings prompted the Perry-Lecompton school board to move forward with getting a question for a $9.97 million bond issue on the November ballot in Jefferson County.

“I think the timing for this is right,” said Supt. Steve Johnston. “It just makes sense.”

The board approved 6-1 publishing a notice of intent and filing paperwork with the Kansas State Department of Education for the bond issue earlier this week. Board member Tom Holroyd cast the dissenting vote.

“I think people are pretty aware that this is going on,” said board President Greg Howard. “We’ve held some community forums on this and met with the site council members.”

The bond issue includes several construction projects, Johnston said.

If passed, the district would use the money to:

• Build new classrooms at Lecompton Elementary School to support all-day kindergarten.
• Construct a new gym at Lecompton elementary.
• Create a new structure by the Perry Lecompton High School to house grades fifth through eighth grades.
• Build a competitive gym at the high school.

The district is moving to all-day kindergarten this school year, Johnston said. While space was remodeled at Perry Elementary School to handle the additional classroom needs, Johnston said the Lecompton elementary was going to be squeezed for space.

Holroyd said he thought a bond issue was needed, but that it should be limited to the elementary schools only. More classrooms should be added at the elementary schools to handle all-day kindergarten and the fifth-grade students, he said.

“Our district’s population isn’t growing,” Holroyd said. “We’re experiencing a declining enrollment, and I’d rather not create a whole new building.”

Perry public schools had 1,058 students in 2000. In 2003, the district had a student enrollment of 1,026.

A building for fifth through eighth grade would help consolidate students into one building, Johnston said. This will be the third year fifth-graders go to a school in Williamstown.

“Education-wise, it’s just a lot sounder to have the students together,” Johnston said. “Having fifth through eighth under one roof gives us the opportunity to make some school improvements and teachers better opportunity to collaborate and have staff development.”

Johnston said there were concerns that the district’s gym couldn’t compete with other schools in the area. He also said the school needed more space to allow students time to use the facility.