9/19/24

Partnering for Progress: Shaping Our Educational Landscape Together

School of the Osage partners with incite Design Studio (iDS) and invites community collaboration to craft the district's future-focused Facility Vision.

School of the Osage is launching the development of our next Long Range Facility Plan. We are committed to a comprehensive and inclusive process, offering multiple channels for community input. You might wonder: Why embark on this journey now, and why in this particular way?

Here is some important insight into our school district's decision to engage professional community engagement and long-range facility planning specialists. This strategic move aligns with our commitment to fiscal responsibility, sustainable community development, and the goals of our 2023-2026 strategic plan.

Some background: In 2017, we developed a comprehensive long-range facility plan, which we have diligently executed and refined through annual in-house strategic planning. While our team excels in strategic work, we are now facing complex challenges that require specialized expertise beyond our internal capabilities.

Here are a few forecasted needs to consider. 

· Breathing New Life into Learning: Overhauling outdated heating and cooling systems to create optimal environments where students can focus and thrive.

· Streamlined Access, Smoother Beginnings: Reimagining school entrances and exits, especially at the High School and Heritage, to ensure most safe and efficient flow-daily during pick up and drop off, but also seasonally as events unique to our area increase traffic and create added pressure for our driving students, parents and buses.

 · Protecting Our Investment, Empowering Our Students: Modernizing our multi-purpose athletic facilities to safeguard student well-being and preserve community assets. This includes replacing worn surfaces, upgrading weathered structures to meet current safety standards, and enhancing grounds to support diverse physical education and extracurricular activities. These improvements will extend our infrastructure's lifespan while advancing student health, fitness, and community engagement.

· Building Tomorrow, Today: Strategically allocating taxpayer dollars to critical projects, from updating CAD labs with cutting-edge equipment to delivering on our commitment to creating innovative learning spaces that prepare students for future success.

Investing our time and resources in our schools means shaping our community's future. To chart this vital course, our Board of Education feels strongly that the time is right to unite our voices and collaborate on our vision for the next decade at Osage. Our decision to collaborate with external specialists stems from the need for architectural and engineering expertise that our current team, despite its strategic prowess, does not possess. This approach ensures we are making informed decisions that maximize the return on our community's investment.

By partnering with the experienced professionals at incite Design Studios (iDS), we aim to create a decade-long vision that:

1. Nurtures our students' potential, building on our district's legacy of excellence

2. Adapts learning environments to meet diverse and evolving student and community development needs

3. Maximizes educational impact through responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars

4. Aligns student opportunities with our community's growth and aspirations

   
   

This proactive approach to facility management directly contributes to the economic vitality of our area. High-quality educational facilities not only serve our students but also enhance our community's appeal to families and businesses. We believe this investment in professional planning will yield significant long-term benefits, supporting both educational outcomes and economic growth in our region. 

Here are the logistics. 

Working Committee

• A dedicated group will meet for approximately five 2-hour evening sessions

• This committee will drive the core development of the plan

• Meetings will start on Wednesday, October 9

Additional Input Opportunities

We recognize that not everyone can commit to the working committee, so we're offering several other ways to participate:

1. Surveys: Share your thoughts and ideas through online and paper surveys

2. Focus Group(s): Participate in targeted discussions on specific aspects of the plan

3. Town Hall(s): Attend larger community meeting(s) for: 

   • Explanations of the planning process

   • Q&A sessions

   • Opportunities to provide input

These meetings and additional sessions will be held over the next couple of months, ensuring ample opportunity for community engagement.

We value every voice in our community and look forward to your participation in shaping the future of our facilities.

Stay tuned for specific dates and details on how to get involved!