At a special board meeting on August 14, the IKM-Manning Board of Education approved an option to potentially move forward with a bond vote on November 7, 2023.
The school board, along with Sam Stagg of 10Fold Architecture, discussed multiple options. The options included an addition in Irwin and two different variations for additions to the Manning location. In addition, there was a discussion about renovation and maintenance of the two current facilities. The board looked at opportunity cost, long term feasibility, and what they believe is best for the students, not only today, but in the future.
The school board voted to move ahead with an expansion including the addition of 15 classrooms, three smaller rooms, library updates, renovations to the existing FCS classroom, creating a secured entrance, and repurposing the existing administrative offices in the Manning building. The project will cost roughly $18.6 million.
According to Luke Potthoff, School Board President, “It’s never an easy decision, but we look forward to being able to strengthen our school district. We feel this bond will create the safest and most effective learning environments for all the students and staff. We know this bond does not fix every problem, but it is a huge step in the right direction. We hope the constituents of the district can support our decision.”
Moving forward, the district will collaborate with legal counsel to draft a project description and petition. In order for the board to approve the resolution for placement on the November 7 ballot, 271 signatures must be gathered from district members.