Here is a look at which of Blue Valley's elementary schools are being updated to include flexible learning environments as part of the 2020 bond election. Photo via Blue Valley School District's Facebook page.
Seven Blue Valley elementary schools will soon have new open, adaptable classrooms that create flexible learning spaces for students. Funded by a 2020 bond issuance, these classroom upgrades are underway while students are out for summer break.
Which schools? These Blue Valley elementary schools are lined up to gain flexible learning environments:
Leawood Elementary
Valley Park Elementary
Indian Valley Elementary
Oak Hill Elementary
Lakewood Elementary
Liberty View Elementary
Stilwell Elementary
What are they? Flexible learning environments are open, adaptable classrooms that allow students the freedom to learn in spaces that can easily be manipulated to enhance lessons.
As part of these new projects, the elementary schools will turn some classrooms into flexible learning environments that will have collapsible walls, rollable tables and open work spaces.
These flexible learning spaces will provide educators with “more options for instructional delivery and personalized learning,” according to the district.
Construction has begun on creating flexible learning environments at Valley Park Elementary. Photo via Blue Valley School District’s Facebook page.Construction has begun on creating flexible learning environments at Valley Park Elementary. Photo via Blue Valley School District’s Facebook page.
The cost: The Blue Valley school board in April issued the remaining $61.8 million bonds from a 2020 bond referendum approved by district voters.
In April, Blue Valley deputy superintendent Kyle Hayden said that nearly all of those funds would go toward updating these elementary schools with the flexible learning spaces.
About the 2020 bond referendum: Blue Valley voters endorsed the $186.8 million bond issue in 2020, approving the measure by a 74% to 26% margin in January of that year.
That spring, the district sold the first $125 million of bonds to fund two years of projects and equipment purchases.
Since then, the bond has funded a variety of capital improvement projects across the district over the past two years, including security upgrades at all schools, a new auxiliary gym at Blue Valley North High School and modifications to middle and high school theaters.
Timeline: While these six flexible learning environments are set for completion before the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, there is still more work to be done.
Two remaining elementary schools, Wolf Springs Elementary and Timber Creek Elementary, are scheduled for updates in 2023.
By the end of summer 2023, Hayden said the district should be 95% or more completed with all of its planned 2020 bond projects.
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