Long-Range Facility Plan Purpose
By engaging our community, we will proactively and responsibly manage district growth, finances, and support services to improve student achievement and provide a safe and caring environment.
Long-Range Facility Plan Update
A group of nearly 30 District residents, staff members and invited community leaders starting meeting in January 2017 to analyze data, refine the District's planning criteria for future facility projects, review planning options and scenarios, and ultimately create a recommendation of facility priorities to the Board of Education for the update to the school district's Long-Range Facility Plan.
After analyzing enrollment growth, financial data, and educational needs; touring every PCR-3 school building; developing and refining facility ideas; updating our facility planning criteria (Board approved in June 2018), conducting two public forums (April and May 2018) and a public feedback survey; and reviewing 11 different bond package options, members of the Long-Range Facility Plan Task Force proposed a list of three facility priorities to the Board of Education, which they accepted in May 2019. Ballot language for the April 2021 No Tax Levy Increase Bond Program was approved in January 2021. Click here for additional information.
Enrollment Projections Update 2018
Facility Planning Criteria
Long-Range Facility Plan Priorities
- New Middle School #2 (On the 80 acres at Hwy 152 & Platte Purchase, 600-student capacity with potential to be expanded to 800 students, Pathfinder Elementary and Barry School would be converted/renovated to K-5 schools)
- High School Renovation (Next phase of Platte County High School [PCHS] renovation, exact scope to be determined)
- District-wide Upgrades (Improvements in each school facility with emphasis on safety and security improvements and technology upgrades)
These priorities were the result of the Task Force's key findings with regard to educational adequacy, equity, and capacity. Aging facility conditions, inadequate learning environments, and inadequate common spaces exist at PCHS. As Barry School continues to grow into a full-scale middle school, the facility will present challenges in providing an equitable experience across both middle schools. The K-5 and 6-8 grade levels will face the greatest capacity pressure over the next ten years based on enrollment forecasts.
After presenting a list of five recommended facility priorities for public feedback, the task force reconvened to conduct a more comprehensive analysis of building or not building a second high school. The task force determined a second high school is not feasible at this time due to projected enrollment, operating costs, and capital costs. The task force will continue to monitor the eventual need for a second high school.
Long-Range Facility Plan Next Steps
The task force will meet two to three times annually to review new enrollment and financial data and refine recommendations as needed.