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Superintendent says enrollment is down about 40 students; district outlines facilities projects and $2.4M seismic grant
Summary
The superintendent told the Junction City Council that current district enrollment is 1,597 (about 40 fewer than last year), described stabilization in staffing, two 60-by-20 field houses under construction through grants and donations, and reported a $2,400,000 seismic rehabilitation grant for Laurel Elementary School.
The Junction City school superintendent reported to the City Council on Sept. 10 that district enrollment stands at 1,597 — about 40 students fewer than at the same time last year — and outlined plans for facilities and instructional improvements.
The superintendent said staffing totals about 250 employees and that the district has hired eight new licensed staff and roughly 18 classified staff this year, a step toward greater stability after earlier turnover. "Current enrollment, as we know it at this point is 1,597. This time last year was 1,636. We're down, we're down, about 40 students," the superintendent said.
On facilities, the superintendent described two field houses (each roughly 60 by 20 feet) being built with contributions from local volunteers, businesses and grant awards. "They're both 60 by a 20," the superintendent said, adding the sites will provide year-round batting-cage access for youth programs and relieve pressure on gym space during inclement weather. The district reported it received three separate grants for fields and that turf purchase and installation could be funded by a grant that covers roughly 65 percent of that cost; the district is seeking funding for site preparation.
The superintendent also said the district received a seismic rehabilitation grant for Laurel Elementary School in the amount of $2,400,000 for work on an identified section of the building (described in the presentation as "area A" on the southeast corner facing Laurel Street). Engineering and architectural selection is underway and staff expect that work to be completed before the start of the next school quarter.
Officials said the district is re-evaluating a bond proposal that failed last May and is considering running a revised bond measure in May 2025, with a board agenda item planned for November to discuss project prioritization.
On academics, the superintendent said the district has adopted a strategic "district visioning plan" that sets goals around learning, culture and facilities and that the district will use targeted classroom observations and data collection ("learning walks") to assess instructional effectiveness.
The presentation included a demographic study projecting a small decline in enrollment over the next decade and staff emphasized that continued monitoring and targeted investments will guide future bond and program decisions. The superintendent closed by inviting council members to participate in facilities committee work and offered to provide the board with more detailed slides and the full study, which staff said is available on the district website.
The council discussed one question about whether older materials such as glass block or brick would be removed at Laurel and whether reclaimed materials might be reused; the superintendent said designs are not yet final and confirmed the district is focusing on replacing unsafe glass block elements first.
