#InCaseYourWondering: District Needs Assessment – Your Input Matters!
District Needs Assessment – Your Input Matters!
In May of 2018, Emporia Schools began the process of performing a district-wide facilities needs assessment. As part of that process, representatives from HTK Architects of Topeka are currently gathering input about our existing facilities from various stakeholder groups. To date, HTK Architects has met with USD 253 staff members about current and future needs and will soon be soliciting input from members of the Emporia community to gather additional perceptions of our facilities.
HTK Architects has had the opportunity to complete tours of the interior, exterior, and building systems at all facilities. During the USD 253 Board of Education meeting on September 12, 2018, HTK Architects shared information with board members regarding main entry access plans for our buildings. That information will be beneficial to district staff members as they begin to work collaboratively with HTK to further develop an implementation plan to provide secure entries for our schools. At the present time, collaborative meetings between HTK and individual building employees are taking place at each of our attendance centers. Currently, that process is approximately 75% complete with plans to finish this phase of the needs assessment by the end of September.
As we look to October, we are excited to begin the process of gathering input from our parent and community stakeholders. This input is an important piece of our needs assessment process. We have scheduled times at each building location to talk with community members about their perceptions of our facilities. We encourage you to join us and share your thoughts at one or more of the community meetings that have been scheduled. If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled meetings, feel free to share with us any input you might have via email to rob.scheib@usd253.net. USD 253 board members will have the opportunity to share their thoughts with HTK Architects during a board work session on Wednesday, October 10, 2018.
Once information has been gathered from all stakeholders, HTK Architects will provide board members with the results of the facilities needs assessment. The current plan is to share these results in January. We have been pleased with the information that the process is generating, and we look forward to hearing from our community stakeholders and seeing the final needs assessment and recommendations. We hope you will be able to attend one of the meetings listed below or will take a few minutes to email us your thoughts. Thank you for your willingness to be a part of this process.
Monday, October 1, 2018 Riverside Elementary 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Monday, October 1, 2018 Village Elementary 5:20 pm – 6:20 pm
Tuesday, October 2, 2018 William Allen White/TPA 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Monday, October 8, 2018 Timmerman Elementary 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Thursday, October 11, 2018 Emporia High School 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Monday, October 22, 2018 Emporia Middle School 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Monday, October 22, 2018 Walnut Elementary 5:45 pm – 6:45 pm
Friday, October 26, 2018 Logan Avenue Elementary 11:15 am – 12:15 pm
Monday, November 5, 2018 Maynard Early Childhood 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
