Inside look at Jefferson West School District ahead of November bond vote

MERIDEN (KSNT) - Jefferson West Superintendent Brad Neuenswander gave 27 News a tour of their facilities where renovations are needed.

The district is proposing a bond initiative to bring in more tax dollars for upgrades. Something they haven't done for quite some time, according to Neuenswander.

"When we talk about, you only do this once a generation," Neuenswander said, "the last bond issue we had of this nature was 30 years ago."

The superintendent said school funding can be complicated, but that the gist is USD 340 currently ranks in the bottom 7% of all schools in Kansas for community financial contributions.

"We're about 12-15 mills less than a lot of our neighbors," He said, "just because the neighbors that have higher, is because they have a bond issue."

Neuenswander says a lot of research went into weighing the district's biggest needs against the burden on taxpayers. They ultimately settled on a plan that would cost the district's average homeowner $1.10 per day.

Among the most pressing needs are creating secure entrances at the middle school and an early childhood center, which are two features they're currently lacking.

"The best dollar to spend on education is early childhood," He said. "We want every kid when they enter kindergarten to be at a level playing field. It's one of the largest learning gaps we have."

A facilities committee was formed to lead the initiative. Neuenswander said their goal is to create a safer, more effective learning environment.

"They want our kids, our staff, and our community to have a sense of pride," he said, "to be a Jeff West Tiger.

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