By Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
March 11, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — They’re still working on a master plan.

Since October 2014, the Kansas City Public Schools has been working with consultants, school officials and the residents they serve while they put together a master plan for the district. After days of presenting the latest incarnation of the master plan, consulting groups MGT of America and David Mason & Associates will make the necessary changes before their final presentation before the KCPS board of directors. That presentation will take place either at the end of March or sometime in April, after the two groups have had enough time to make the necessary changes.

Last week, three meetings were held with the public to review the latest version of the KCPS Master Plan. One piece of information that stuck out to some residents in the Northeast was the idea to tear down and replace James Elementary School, 5810 Scarritt St. James Elementary School is over a century old.

However, Eileen Houston-Stewart, Chief Communications and Community Engagement Officer, and Shannon Jaax, director of repurposing, said right now, the idea to replace James Elementary School is merely just an option, not a recommendation.

“What was seen might not even be recommended to the board,” Houston-Stewart said.

Jaax explained that most schools in the district were built with a lifespan of around 50 years. The consulting groups’ made overall assessments on each of the building in the district. Their overall assessment was based on three things; building condition, grounds condition and education adequacy.

“If the building met the education adequacy needs, they [the consultants] would’ve suggested renovations,” Jaax said. “But because the scores were so low, they suggested replacement. They could modernize it, but the building still has older bones.”

The presentation suggested replacement could cost around $13.5 million. Jaax said no estimate has been made for renovations because they don’t know what would need to be renovated.

“They gave us cost estimates and what should be our highest priorities,” Jaax said. “They think this improves the learning environment. Kids can continue to stay at the existing building and we would build in the back. They think it’s an appropriate location for kids in the area. But, again, it’s still really early and only an assessment, not a recommendation.”

Houston-Stewart said even after the school board makes its decision, the earliest anything can happen to a school building is the 2016-17 school year.

“It’s too late in the year to make any changes for next year,” Houston-Stewart said. “We’re doing our due diligence before making any changes.”

Jaax said if people weren’t able to make any of last week’s meetings, there’s still time to tell the school district what you think. Email masterplan@kcpublicschools.org, and all additional input will be provided to the consultants to factor into their final study. To view the master plan online, visit http://www.kcpublicschools.org/, click on the “about” tab, then select “master plan.”