One plan for new facilities involving USD 251 North Lyon County includes a new high school near NLC Elementary/Junior High (pictured). Chuck Samples/KVOE News.
As USD 251 North Lyon County continues interviewing potential architect partners with the prospect of new facilities in mind, Superintendent Bob Blair says he is pleased with the overall process to date — but major decisions are still ahead for the district.
Last week, the district school board interviewed three different architectural firms, Incite Design Studio, Landmark Architects and Ben Moore Studio. The board then decided to interview one or two more firms.
Once selected, which could take place within the next month, Blair says architects could create renderings within two months after visiting with the faculty, staff and Strategic Planning Committee members about what to include. Following that, the timelines for a decision — and possible construction — are both pending, although notices to Lyon County and the state will be part of the upcoming schedule if a bond vote is coming.
Following a patron survey last year, Blair says another survey effort is possible later this year once the renderings are in hand.
The patron survey last fall indicated a plurality of residents favoring new construction in or near Americus, while opposition outweighed support for repairs and renovations at Northern Heights. Patrons also indicated support for total bond amounts of up to either $30 million or $40 million. Blair says current costs point to a bottom line in that range.
The current effort, which involves options of a high school near NLC Elementary/Junior High in west Americus, a new high school near the Americus city limits or a full K-12 campus near the district’s population center, is now almost three years old after the formation of an ad hoc Strategic Planning Committee and two different studies, one by G Kent Stewart and another by DCS Services, that essentially said something has to be done with current facilities. It also follows three separate and unsuccessful bond votes on facilities last decade. Blair says district residents and patrons understand something has to happen at the end of this process.
If voters approve new construction, Blair says building a high school next to the current elementary and junior high in Americus would take place on district-owned land. The other two options would require land purchases.