By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
August 10, 2011

Kansas City, Missouri School District officials found themselves in a moldy situation July 27.

While renovating the East High School annex for the special needs students of R.J. Delano, crews discovered mold inside a classroom wall.

General Michael Rounds, KCMSD chief operating officer, updated the board of education July 27 on the renovation progress.

Rounds said crews found sheetrock covered in mold, which has since been replaced with new sheetrock and the area was scrubbed clean.

Board member Duane Kelly said the district needed to determine the cause of the mold and not simply replace sheetrock.

Rounds called the mold “old growth” that possibly dated back 10 years and that there were no signs of current water infiltration. Asked what kind of mold crews found, Rounds said he didn’t know.

“We’re being very cautious about this,” Rounds said.

Due to unforeseen issues like mold and relocating the ag department’s animals, Rounds asked the board to approve $991,219 for the special education conversion an increase of approximately $591,000 from the last proposed figure.

“We will give you an education space that is superior in many ways to any other space in the district,” Rounds said.

Board members approved the new figure.

Asked about professional development training for teachers dealing with the new special needs students, Superintendent Dr. Covington said, “Professional development activities are being planned as we speak. If we are not ready (by the start of school on Aug. 15) we will not transition those students to the East annex.”

A, B or C?

To create a transparent process, the board carried over an agenda item from its earlier closed session regarding KCMSD’s repurposing initiative for shuttered schools.

However, for those in the audience, the process wasn’t transparent.

Board members discussed three different lease options for charter school Academy Lafayette to lease the Longan school building, 3421 Cherry.

Board members failed to explain the options and referred to the lease options as “a”, “b” and “c.”

Several board members also suggested changing wording in the contracts.

“I really want this to happen, but I think we’ve clearly publicly demonstrated we are slightly over our heads at the moment and would benefit from more time,” board member Derek Richey said.

After further discussion, board members approved option “c,” a lease without an option to buy. However, the contract contains wording that allows Academy Lafayette to continue negotiating with the district about purchasing options.

Following the meeting, Northeast News contacted board president Airick West and Repurposing Initiative Director Shannon Jaax for more details.

None of the shuttered schools are owned by the district, which limits the district’s capabilities in leasing and selling the buildings, Jaax said. Years ago, the Kansas City Missouri School District Building Corporation issued bonds on behalf of the district for building improvements and currently owns the buildings. Some bonds will mature in 2012, but most will mature in 2014, Jaax said.

Until the bonds mature, KCMSD can only approve 12-month leases and must sell buildings at fair market value. For both leasing and purchasing contracts, KCMSD must obtain approval from the Kansas City Missouri School District Building Corporation and the bond insurer.

KCMSD said it will consider leasing to charter schools, but only to those that outperform the district. For charter schools, leasing and purchasing contracts will include deed restrictions.

“You have to show continued performance. If you cannot get those results, then the building comes back to the district,” West said. “That way, we are creating a system where we are rewarding the high performing charter schools, but we also create a system that is accountable for the performance of our scholars both now and in the future.”

In terms of the other shuttered schools, West said, “I believe our obligation is to make the community as great as we can at the same time we’re selling these buildings.”

Leaving the schools sitting empty is a “universal bad idea” and harms neighborhoods, he said. The district needs to consider how the proposed plans for each school building will benefit the community and scholars and not be influenced solely by the short-term financial benefits, he said.