District advances bond outreach; architects and volunteers outline $100M project concepts

Gardner Edgerton officials updated the Board of Education Tuesday on public outreach and campaign activity tied to a proposed bond referendum described in materials as roughly a $100 million package.

Ian Kilpatrick of DLR Group and volunteer Mike Casey presented the board with campaign collateral being developed for the outreach phase, including fact sheets, site renderings and dates for voter registration and the election. Kilpatrick said the team is producing conceptual imagery for a new elementary school (south of Pioneer Ridge), an educational support center, an early-education center at Sunflower, and expansions to Trails and Gardner Edgerton High School commons and kitchen areas.

Casey, who has volunteered to run the “vote yes” campaign, told the board he supports the package and praised its financial presentation. Kilpatrick said the campaign will continue to develop more renderings and collateral so voters can better visualize proposed changes; board members asked that the materials show clear, concrete examples of the project scopes beyond abstract descriptions.

Superintendent Dr. Huff and board members noted the campaign will involve both a district-led factual outreach and the volunteer-run vote yes effort; district staff said they will continue to coordinate public information and the campaign’s visual materials. No formal board action was required on the presentation; campaign planning will continue as the district prepares messaging and scheduling for the referendum.