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USD 457 staff recommend restarting multi‑year plan to reconfigure grades; propose steering committees and timeline
Summary
Interim superintendent outlined prior committees, recommended a district steering process and proposed a phased timeline for moving to a K–5/6–8 configuration, with the earliest implementation eyed for 2028 and substantial facility, personnel and cost considerations to follow.
Interim Superintendent Josh Guymon reviewed nearly two decades of planning and recommended the district restart work toward a grade‑reconfiguration plan that would implement a K–5/6–8 configuration districtwide, with an earliest feasible implementation target of 2028.
Guymon summarized prior study work: committees in 2008 and 2018 examined configurations and in 2018 recommended a K–5/6–8 model. A follow-up committee in 2021–22 developed two alignment options — converting Charles Stones into a third middle school (with a projected higher cost) or moving to two middle schools and repurposing intermediate centers as elementary buildings — and considered related capital improvements such as secure entrances and playground upgrades.
Guymon proposed forming multi-disciplinary steering committees to handle distinct workstreams: facilities (led by Brandon Andrews), personnel/ staffing (led by Drew), instruction (Steve) and special programs/operations (Jessica). He said every building except the high school and Garfield would be affected and that projects would require attention to playground safety, HVAC and phasing. He recommended a timeline setting early deliverables and noted the district should expect to select architects and develop cost estimates and phased plans. “Realistically, I think the soonest that we're looking at anything happening would be 2028,” Guymon said.
Board members discussed cost, previous bond planning and community appetite. Guymon said earlier options carried estimated price tags in the tens of millions (noting prior estimates in the range of $51M and $61M for certain options) and that the district will likely consider phased approaches and put focused capital items out in order to reduce bond size or scope. Trustees asked about barriers to prior action; staff said past proposals would have required a bond and earlier demographic and funding conditions were different.
Trustees broadly endorsed moving from planning to active steering and committee work. Guymon said staff will return with a timeline, steering-committee membership and updated cost estimates; he warned the work will require sustained community engagement because the proposal would touch most district schools and personnel.
