The group met for its second meeting on Tuesday, September 23, at McPherson High School. During this meeting, the group reviewed the key items that came as focus areas from the initial discussion.
There are 7 key topics that emerged from the feedback:
1. Safety & Security
- “Secure entrances” was one of the single most repeated phrases across multiple questions.
- Safety/security showed up in multiple questions as the top-ranked need.
- Includes ADA accessibility, secure entries, lighting, safe spectator areas.
2. Maintenance & Infrastructure
- HVAC, roofs, plumbing, electrical, and flooring were cited repeatedly
- People are frustrated with inconsistent temperatures, outdated restrooms, and flooring issues.
3. Modern Educational Spaces & Classrooms
- Strong call for collaborative/breakout spaces, STEM/CTE labs, flexible learning environments.
- Technology and 21st-century readiness came up repeatedly, especially in Q5 (high school).
4. Elementary Schools / Consolidation
- Declining enrollment + too many buildings = clear pressure to reduce the number of elementaries.
- Many responses suggest closing one or more schools, balancing class sizes, and repurposing buildings.
5. New Secondary Schools (Middle/High)
- “New high school” (30 mentions in Q2) and “new middle school” (29 mentions) dominated the unlimited-resources conversation.
- In limited-resource scenarios (Q3), people still pressed for secondary investment — showing it’s a long-standing pain point.
6. Consolidation & Efficiency
- At the system level, people want to reduce redundancy: centralize support facilities, move out of rented/admin space, and consolidate programs.
- This theme overlaps with elementary reduction but extends to admin, bus barn, and other non-instructional facilities.
7. Equity Across Schools
- Many participants emphasized fairness – ensuring all buildings are brought up to a baseline standard.
- Equity matters even if new construction happens elsewhere.
- This sentiment appeared across multiple questions.
The group began to look at what long-range plans might look like to address these focus areas at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
A community survey will be distributed soon to gather broader feedback on the planning options.
