VOTE YES HUTCH

The USD 308 community will vote on a bond issue in 2025. In 2023, the facilities committee started working to identify inefficiencies and create a master plan for the district. This group, consisting of more than 50 community leaders, families, and educators, focused on planning for the district's future facility needs. Together, they outlined three areas:

A Better Middle School Experience for All Solution: a New Middle School for 6th, 7th, & 8th Graders Imagine our middle schoolers enjoying a seamless transition into high school, fully supported by dedicated staff and engaged parents. Picture staff thriving in modern, collaborative education spaces and teaching in classrooms perfectly designed for the needs of today's learners. Envision 6th graders flourishing in a middle school environment, while elementary schools repurpose their spaces to align with the dynamic demands of today's educational landscape. Ensure a Smooth Transition into the District for 3-5 year olds Solution: an Early Childhood Center for Students and Staff Did you know that early childhood staff are currently spread across eight locations in the district? The travel time between these locations diminishes the effectiveness of every employee by reducing their face-to-face time with students and their collaborative time with other staff. Improvements to the District's current early education model will better serve our youngest learners. Upgrades in Every Elementary Building Solution: Storm Shelters and Upgrades for Every Elementary Every elementary school in USD 308 has a unique and vibrant culture. The facilities committee understands this but also recognizes the physical learning environment of each building is not the same. These inequities and inefficiencies provide logistical challenges for each school. This bond would provide upgrades in every elementary building. Projects include: storm shelters, kitchen equipment improvements, and classroom updates

The district is seeking voter approval for $109,530,000.

The Board of Education and district staff continually examine the needs of the district. In addition, the district sought community input through an 50-person committee to develop a Facilities Master Plan.

In 2023, this committee started working to identify inefficiencies and create a master plan for the district. This group, consisting of more than 50 community leaders, families, and educators, focused on planning for the district's future facility needs.

The Board feels that this bond package adequately addresses the immediate and future needs of the district

Bond funds can only be used for constructing, equipping, maintaining and furnishing district facilities. This makes bond funds different from the district’s operating funds that are used to pay salaries, textbooks and other day-to-day expenses. Bond funds can only be used for brick-and-mortar projects and cannot be legally used for anything else. This is an important distinction to remember. Bond funds and operational funds are separate and according to state law these funds cannot be used interchangeably.

Bond money cannot be used toward operating expenses, such as salaries to hire more teachers. Rather, bond funds are restricted for use on brick-and-mortar projects such as constructing, equipping, maintaining and furnishing district facilities. That means that any money raised through an approved bond issue cannot be used to pay for additional teachers or to lower class sizes. However, the money will be used to create better learning environments for students in the district.

Four buildings would be offloaded via sale or lease: -Old Town Club, 200 E. Sherman -Grandview Elementary, 1900 E. 4th -Administration Center, 1520 N. Plum -Hutchinson Middle School 7, 210 E. Ave A. The sale of these properties diminishes insurance, maintenance, and utility costs for the District. The sale of any building must comply with Kansas state law: KS Statute § 72-1439 (2024). Below is an overview of the law:

• When a Kansas school district’s board votes to dispose of a closed school building under K.S.A. 72-3216, it must, within 30 days, send written notice to the Legislature including details of prior use, reasons for closure, legal description, and a copy of the board’s resolution.

• If the Legislature receives this notice during a session, it has 45 days to adopt a concurrent resolution to express interest in state acquisition; if it is out of session, the Legislative Coordinating Council may deny the option within 45 days, or else the Legislature gets 45 days in its next session.

• The concurrent resolution must identify the school district, repeat the notice information, name the state agency intended to acquire the property, and state the intended use.

• After adoption, the named state agency has 180 days (extendable by 60 days) to acquire the building, during which time the school board is barred from conveying or impairing the property.

• If no resolution is adopted or the agency fails to complete acquisition in time, the school board may freely dispose of the property under usual procedures, with conveyances executed by the board’s president and attested by the clerk.

Read more here: https://law.justia.com/codes/kansas/chapter-72/article-14/section-72-1439/

Bond funding would provide upgrades in each elementary school. Upgrades vary by building. Projects include the addition or improvement of storm shelters, remodeling the 6th grade classrooms, safety and security improvements, and additional classrooms and multipurpose spaces.

Yes, we will continue to bus middle school students.

The election will be held Tuesday, November 4, 2025, and will be open to all registered voters in the USD 308 district. Early voting will begin Monday, October 20th, at the Reno County Annex. On election day, voters can cast their ballot at their typical precinct locations. For more voting information, visit https://www.renocountyks.gov/Elections.

The bond request is $109,530,000

Moving 6th grade into a newly constructed middle school alongside 7th and 8th grade creates a more cohesive academic experience. Kansas academics standards are designed around a K–5 and 6–12 structure, so aligning grade levels with that framework ensures stronger instructional continuity and support. This move also provides 6th grade students with expanded access to academic and extracurricular opportunities in a facility built for their developmental needs.

USD 308 is proposing a 25-year bond funded through a 5-mill property tax increase. For a home valued at $100,000, that’s an estimated increase of $4.98 per month. To calculate your property's tax impact, please use the USD 308 Bond Tax Impact Calculator provided on this page. Bond payments include all principal and interest.