For our Kids, Community, and Future!
The Lyndon School District is responsible for providing a safe and functional environment for educating our children. The Lyndon Schools continually authorize maintenance projects to keep our buildings functional and attractive, but because of budget and time limitations, there are needs for our buildings that can not be met with current resources.
Concerns with maintaining older structures and the daily travel of students back & forth across 6th Ave, along with a lack of storm shelters for all students and difficult supervision of multiple buildings as it relates to security and access, has caused the Board of Education to research a facility improvement project to address the immediate and long-term needs of our schools.
A 2020 study of the original high school and elementary buildings, constructed in 1930 and 1921, identified several maintenance concerns that could be expected in an older building, including boiler and HVAC deficiencies, inadequate insulation and fresh air circulation, window replacement, and upgrades of electrical and fire alarm systems to comply with current codes.
Lyndon Schools have long maintained a Site Council, comprised of patrons, teachers, and administrators to study facility and community relationship options and make recommendations to the Board of Education. After input from the District Site Council, and with assistance from architectural firm Alloy Architecture of Wichita Kansas, a Pre Bond Steering Committee was formed of approximately 40 community members, local business owners, teachers, parents, and students. This committee held public input meetings and conducted surveys to better determine what improvements the community determined were of the highest priority and in the best interest of our student’s ongoing educational success.
The Board of Education has studied the work and recommendations of the Steering Committee, and with further refinements, has arrived at a building renovation and campus improvement proposal that will provide a safe and functional school campus for our students and staff, while maintaining a balance with the Board’s commitment to an affordable and fiscally responsible solution to address ongoing facility concerns.
Public meetings are planned to present the Board’s proposal and to answer questions. A bond election to authorize the issuance of bonds to fund the project is scheduled for November 8th, 2022. Upon successful passage of a bond referendum, construction would begin after the final design documents are prepared and bids are received for the work.
The bond proposal on the Nov. 8th ballot consists of 2 questions or propositions. Proposition No. 1 can pass on it's own, but Proposition No. 2 can only pass if Proposition No. 1 also passes.
New Boiler & HVAC systems & related Electrical upgrades (Both Schools)
Misc Electrical Upgrades (Both Schools)
Replace Old Single-Pane Windows (Both Schools)
New Greenhouse
New LEMS Cafeteria / Multi-use Space / Storm Shelter
New Secure H.S. Entry Vestibule
New Secure LEMS Entry Vestibule
*Total Bond Amount if Both Pass (8.63M)
Lyndon Schools have boiler systems that are around 40 years old, which require frequent maintenance. As our facilities grow older, the amount of dollars needed for general maintenance and repairs grow as well. Even when working, units often do not sufficiently heat and/or cool certain classrooms leading to an inconsistent and uncomfortable learning environment for students and staff. One example of the drastic inefficiency includes times when windows have needed to be opened in certain classrooms during the winter.
Students and families should have an expectation of learning in a comfortable physical environment while at school. Keeping classrooms at a comfortable temperature has been shown to help improve focus and productivity in students. With the passage of Question 1, upgrades will be made to HVAC and boiler systems as well as related electrical improvements.
Lyndon Schools still have single-pane windows that date back to the 1960s. Single pane windows are generally poor insulators and provide little protection from outside noise, which can be a distraction to students.
Over the long-term, investing in new double-pane windows for our schools will not only contribute to a comfortable learning environment for our students and staff, but it will pay off by way of heating and air cost savings over time. Double paned windows are more energy efficient, they help indoor temperatures remain more stable and they keep out unwanted noise. With the passage of Proposition 1, old single-pane windows will be replaced with new double-pane windows throughout USD 421 buildings.
A yes vote to questions 1 & 2 will increase property tax on a $100,000 house by approximately $14 per month. Lyndon Schools have been maintained over the last several years all while keeping Lyndon at one of the lowest mill levies in the area. In fact, the school board has decreased the mill levy by approximately .5 mill per year over the last three years.
Patrons of the Lyndon School District can make an investment in our aging buildings with a relatively minimal tax increase. Even with this increase, Lyndon will remain at a competitive mill levy compared to other area schools.
Academic opportunities in Career and Technical Education are limited without the facilities to accommodate additional programs for students.
We can invest in things that will continue to expand the Career & Technical Education offerings at Lyndon USD 421. CTE prepares students for the real world by exposing them to hands-on coursework in areas like family and consumer sciences, business and agriculture education. CTE can play a significant part in keeping students engaged in learning and provides a variety of benefits related to postsecondary success and employment following graduation. A yes vote for Question 1 will allow a new greenhouse to be built and equipped for district use. Further, a yes vote for Question 2 would provide for the building and furnishing of a new collaborative learning center and STEM lab addition at the elementary and middle school.
Lyndon USD 421 does not have adequate storm shelter space to accommodate all students if a significant weather event were to occur.
As part of this bond, the construction of additional space that can be used as a storm shelter was considered very high priority. We owe our students the expectation of safety when they enter Lyndon Schools and this includes storm safety. The passage of Proposition 2 will fund a new multi-purpose building that will include additional space that will be certified as a storm shelter.
The need for security in schools has increased exponentially in recent years. While we enjoy the comfort of our small-town living, we also recognize that school size is not necessarily a determinant of safety.
Having secure entry points to our schools would provide additional protection to students from potential external threats including violence, intruders and exposure to weapons. Secure entrances reduce opportunities for crime and can allow for screening of people entering USD 421 facilities. The passage of Proposition 2 would allow for construction of new secure entry vestibules at the South High School entrance and North Elementary-Middle School entrance.