"Right now the architect is doing surveys of the property and developing drawings of our property for their use," Superintendent Gordon Mohn said.

In April, USD 410 hired Howard & Helmer of Wichita to develop a bond campaign for improvements at the elementary, middle and high schools.

"The bonds on the middle school are about to be paid," Mohn said. "What we hoped to be able to do is to issue new bonds in an amount that would keep that mill levy even."

Mohn estimates the 12 projects identified by the district's leadership team and submitted to the board will cost taxpayers about $2.5 million.

"But we can look at not raising the tax level to continue improving the facilities," Mohn added.

Although the district can choose from several options in conducting the bond election, including a typical poll election or a mail-in ballot, Mohn anticipates the question will be on the general ballot.

"I think right now, at least, the earliest would be April of next year's regular election," Mohn said. "But that could change if we're not ready."

He said the cooperative project between USD 410 and Tabor College to construct and improve athletic facilities at the college would be in addition to the district's plans for its facilities.

"We'd probably roll into (the bond election) our participation in the track and football facility at Tabor."

At the top of the USD 410's improvement list is additional classroom space at Hillsboro Elementary School.

"I know at first glance it doesn't make sense that we have fewer kids now than we did three or four years ago," Mohn said. "We've been out of space for quite a while now."

The added space is needed for anticipated projects such as the cooperative early childhood development.

"We've looked at early childhood things-preschool and Head Start-some kind of cooperative (project)," Mohn said about recent discussions that addressed ways to meet early childhood needs.

Other elementary school projects listed include separating the dining and physical education areas.

"Now we eat and have P.E. in the same facility," Mohn said.

In addition, work is needed to enhance parking, traffic flow and bus unloading around the school.

"We park in the streets," Mohn said. "There's some risk with kids' safety."

Among the projects targeted for the middle and high school buildings are hard-surfacing parking and remodeling the high school science room, P.E. dressing rooms, rest rooms and concessions area. Plans also call for replacing the building where the weight room and offices are located as well as the lighting in the high school auditorium.

"(The lighting) was with the building, so it's a little over 30 years old," Mohn said, adding that the estimated cost for that project alone is more than $75,000.

Additional projects include safety and comfort issues.

"We need to update the fire alarm system throughout the building, especially at the high school," Mohn said.

"And a good one this time of year-air conditioning in our (high school) gym," he added.

These 12 projects are those that rank highest on the district's priority list.

"Probably we wouldn't do all of those things, but that's the list that went to the architect," Mohn said. "As we do this, we'll go through that priority again. We might rearrange things."

Mohn anticipates the architect with have a timeline to present to the board at its June meeting.

"We're still looking at the big-picture layout of things."