If you've driven around the Goddard Public Schools District community recently, you've likely noticed an increase in housing developments under construction. In the summer of 2024, the District partnered with Davis Demographics to forecast enrollment for the next decade. They identified 53 separate housing developments with over 5,900 residential units planned. Their findings suggest significant growth for Goddard schools—an increase of 1,000 students in the next five years, and 2,000 students over the next 10 years. This represents more than a 30% increase from our current student population of 6,300.

Generations before have consistently invested in excellent educational spaces and facilities to support world-class instruction for students in Goddard Public Schools. These investments have continued to attract new families that want the small-town feel, but also want to provide their kids with the best educational opportunities possible. This projected growth in student population over the next decade has presented our school community with a challenge. The capacity of schools and classrooms across the District will shortly surpass their optimal level for learning and will need the community’s help in determining the future of what the next investment in education will be.

Over 300 District patrons were presented with this information at the 2024 Community Education Retreat. On September 30, 2024, the USD 265 Bond Steering Committee, made up of over 50 community leaders, families, and educators, came together to begin developing a bond proposal to address the District's future facility needs. The Bond Steering Committee is co-chaired by Lindsay White, Jessica Holle, Ashley Miller, and Travis Rink. With assistance from Schaefer Architecture, the Steering Committee collected community input on the bond proposal and utilized that to help shape what the proposal would include. Steering Committee Co-Chair Lindsay White said, “Our first objective is to go out into the community and listen. When you have an opportunity to engage in this conversation, I encourage everyone to participate.”

The Steering Committee reviewed and prioritized projects, creating a bond proposal package for the Goddard USD 265 Board of Education's consideration. As potential projects for new facilities and improvements to existing ones were developed, USD 265 staff, families, and community members were encouraged to participate in Evaluation Team meetings. Three Evaluation Team meetings were held, open to public participation, to gather additional feedback. An additional 85 people were in attendance between all three meetings.

The USD 265 Strategic Plan states, "We believe the district must provide a safe, caring, and connected learning environment to educate the whole child academically, physically, and socially." The optimal number of students in each elementary school should be 400–450. The most significant need identified was to create additional capacity at the elementary schools, as two elementary schools have already exceeded 500 students enrolled. The Steering Committee carefully considered information and input from staff meetings, surveys, and Evaluation Team meetings and compiled a list of projects to meet the needs of students and address the rapid growth the community is experiencing. After six months of extensive feedback and numerous engagement opportunities, Steering Committee Co-Chairs Lindsay White, Jessica Holle, Ashley Miller, and Travis Rink presented a bond proposal on behalf of the community to the Goddard Public Schools Board of Education on Monday, December 9th, 2024. The recommendation was approved unanimously by the USD 265 Board of Education and sent to the Kansas State Board of Education for final approval.

Within the core projects, two new elementary schools are to be constructed at a new campus site, and Oak Street Elementary School would be repurposed into an Early Childhood Education Center that would house all of the District's Pre-K programs in one centralized location. This will address the most immediate needs of capacity for elementary schools, as well as increase early learning opportunities for all students. Also included in the proposal are numerous additions to schools, creating new learning spaces across the District; improvements to both the Goddard High School and Eisenhower High School Athletics and Activities, providing both schools varsity competition-level facilities that are adequately accessible to all; as well as investments in safety, security, accessible playgrounds, and infrastructure that will extend the life of roads, parking lots, HVAC, and rooftops.

The USD 265 Board of Education passed a bond resolution for a General Obligation Bond, not to exceed $196,000,000, with an election date tentatively set for Tuesday, May 13th, 2025. The Kansas State Board of Education will consider this proposal on January 14–15th, 2025, making the final decision to allow this bond proposal to move forward in this timeframe. More detailed information about the bond proposal will be made available after feedback from the State Board of Education is provided.

All USD 265 District patrons will have the opportunity to cast their vote, collectively shaping the District's future for generations to come. If you would like to coordinate an informational presentation for a community organization, homeowners association, or other group that may be interested in learning more about this bond proposal, please contact Dane Baxa, (danebaxa@goddadusd.com) or 316-794-4000.