A bond is a financing mechanism through which school districts receive funding via property taxes. This is the only source of funding that school districts can use for significant facility improvements. This is separate from the current mil levies required by the State of Kansas for all school districts.

The bond will focus on the following key improvements:
Touching Every Building and Something for Every Student

• Enhancing safety and security across all facilities.

• Improving secure entrances at all locations and adding a new drop-off lane at the Middle School.

• Addressing long-overdue structural, HVAC, electrical, civil, and architectural upgrades at all facilities.

• Fixing foundation settling issues.

• Upgrading current facilities to meet modern educational standards.

• Expanding classroom space and availability.

  • Early Childhood Center –

    • Start program & provide at least (4) new classrooms.

    • The Ozawkie Early Childhood Center will provide up to 10 classrooms for the Keystone Preschool (currently using 2) and the new 3–4 Year-Old At-Risk Preschool (will need 4). This leaves room for growth with a daycare program and possibly NEK-CAP.

  • Elementary School

    • Provide (4) new classrooms.

    • The elementary school will gain two new classrooms with NEK-CAP leaving (one will be filled with Title I currently in the basement) and four new classrooms will be added for growth.

  • Middle School -

    • Provide (4) new classrooms (via HS and MS connection)

    • Rebuild (3) settling classrooms

    • Music Room

• Provide new facilities to support existing programs and classes that currently lack adequate space via:

  • Possible Solution: Build a connection between the High School and Middle School

    • Create a central gathering & assembly space hosting graduations, music programs, events, etc.

    • Give Jeff West their center of PRIDE! 

    • Connection to serve as many functions as possible

    • Shared storm shelter for both Middle School & High School

    • Create performance space.

    • Fix storm drainage pouring into Middle School off of hill.

      • Fix Middle School Foundation settling

    • Consolidated Kitchen serving both High School & Middle School

      • Frees existing space at Middle School by re-purposing kitchen, admin, and vestibule areas

    • New Drop-off Lane for Middle School

      • Separates bus lane from drop-off lane.

    • New single secured entrance at Middle School

    • New Admin/Check-in Area.

      • Frees existing Admin area to be re-purposed for classrooms. 

    • Create cost-effective construction by consolidating work

• The district has identified substantial facility needs that exceed the district's current funding capacity. 

• Jeff West facilities are aging and require attention: 

  • The Middle School was built in 1968. 

  • The Elementary School was built in 1939, with additions in 1962, 1975, 1991, and 1995. 

  • The Early Childhood Center (Ozawkie) was built in 1966. 

  • The High School was built in 1994. 

• Addressing these needs now is more cost-effective than delaying. 

• Just as the previous generation supported us in 1994, it is now our responsibility to invest in the education and future of our children. Our community stopped investing in the school district in 2018, six years ago.  

• We have collected and prioritized all the information necessary for a bond as required by the state of Kansas.

After the bond is passed an Architect and Construction Manager will be solicited. The district has been assessing its facilities since 2022, culminating in a 285-page facilities assessment completed in July 2023. In the summer of 2024, a facilities committee was established to gather district needs, analyze the 2023 report, and prioritize the improvements. 

It's important to note that the facilities committee identified over $33 million in necessary improvements. However, the bond will only address two-thirds of these needs to minimize the tax impact on our Jeff West community. 

If the bond passes, the district will need several months to design the projects. Renovations on existing buildings are expected to start in the spring of 2026 (after the school year ends). New construction and additions may begin around Fall 2025, while miscellaneous upgrades can start immediately.

If the bond is approved, the district will conduct a competitive process to hire an architect and construction manager.

This bond will provide $21,000,000 for facility improvements, renovations, and additions.

For a home valued at $200,000, the investment will be approximately one dollar per day.

View More Cost Information Here

• For a commercial property valued at $200,000, the investment will be $2.40 per day. 

• For dry cropland, the investment will be $3.98 per acre annually. 

• For grassland, the investment will be $0.61 per acre annually. 
  
  View More Cost Information Here

It has been 30 years since the district last asked the public for a mill increase. Jeff West currently ranks in the bottom 7% of schools in Kansas for taxpayer contributions.

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