USD 480 School Board Approves Redskin Field Renovations and the Addition of Classrooms

The USD 480 Board of Education met Monday at Central Office. The board approved two major projects. The first project approved was the renovation of Redskin Field. The renovation will include adding artifical turf to the football field, renovating the bleachers, and the addition of two new tracks. The main track will be replaced at Redskin Field, while another new track will be added to the current band practice field which is east of Redskin Field and will be available to the high school and West Middle School. The cost will be around $2.46 million.The renovations passed 5-2 with Cheryl Louderback, and Dan Diepenbrock voting against it. Louderback’s concern about the turf was the possibility of more injuries, while Diepenbrock was not in favor of the extra track. The second project approved was the addition of four new classrooms at Liberal High School. The addition will be an actual build on to the current high school and will not consist of trailers. The addition insures that every teacher will have their own classroom at the high school. This addition passed 7-0. This project will cost around one millions dollars. Both of these projects will be paid for out of the capital outlay and the board agreed to a 2.5 to 3 mill increase of the current 40.01 Mill Levy to help pay for the projects. The board also approved the re-hiring of certified staff for the 2009-10 school term.