So, as it was said, uh, we've been planning this for nearly two years. It's been a combination of input sessions and working with experts to shape a vision that reflects our community's priorities. Um, it's very much focused on innovative future focused learning. current realities. We've covered this in the past, but just at a high level, uh the take-home is that learning today looks very different than when many of our schools were built. Uh Glenidge is nearly a hundred years old and it's aging and there are areas that are in need of renovation. Um and some of the spaces could be updated to better support student learning for generations to come. And beyond our school facilities, we're also looking at uh spaces outside of the classroom because we know learning happens everywhere in Clayton. This is just at a glance um the process which kicked off in May of 2024. The long-range facilities plan worked with uh extensive experts, community engagement process. The form was formally presented in February 2025. Um and then since then we've brought on leading design firms to help identify steps for modernization and that uh included extensive community engagement and that is where we are tonight. Throughout the process, we've heard from many voices. Over a hundred uh hundreds of stakeholders have played a role. We've had over 40 meetings, and this has been a very collaborative process.

It had been about 15 years since we had done a facility study prior to this which was definitely overdue. Um through the study we realized most of our facilities are not meeting the current and future needs of our students. So we took action um which was going to the community to get feedback. We engaged all stakeholders, community members, students, parents, teachers, administrators, support staff, coaches, uh former schoolboard members, city council members, the mayor, the city manager just to gather feedback to help guide our decisions. We wanted to know what are the community's priorities in relation to our facilities. So, we've worked with these architects, design teams, construction managers, and other experts that helped us guide the study and assess the actual current state of our of our facilities. So, and as Dr. Patel said in addition to all the public meetings that you've seen us discuss this at um we've also had workshops, forums, surveys, offered tours, and the board has met in closed session and in retreats many times to discuss all of this um behind closed doors to review the design plans, cost estimates. We've analyzed the finances, asked very tough questions, and made very critical decisions that led us to where we are tonight. Um, we hope these decisions will impact um and shape the future of our district for generations to come.

We've analyzed the finances, asked very tough questions, and made very critical decisions that led us to where we are tonight. Um, we hope these decisions will impact um and shape the future of our district for generations to come. Through the process, we've eventually identified priorities and we developed an actionable plan to address the facility challenges which led us to consider what we're going to vote on tonight which is placing a ballot issue referendum on the ballot in April that we will be voting on later which will address just the first phase of facility renovations and upgrades in the district. So, I invite the design teams to come up and make their presentation, but just a brief reminder of where we've come and how we got to this point. So, thank you all for your involvement along the way the last couple years. All right, good evening. Um, I'm going to run through some of the intro slides. We've covered a lot of it, but um, tonight we're going to give an update on the facilities master plan, where we've come from, and where we're headed next. Um, following tonight's presentation, all the materials that we discuss will be available on the website for the community at home. So, that's a key detail. Um, but here we go. Let's jump in. So, as it was said, uh, we've been planning this for nearly two years. It's been a combination of input sessions and working with experts to shape a vision that reflects our community's priorities.

Over a hundred uh hundreds of stakeholders have played a role. We've had over 40 meetings, and this has been a very collaborative process. And the goal is to ensure that our plans truly reflect what our community's vision is for its schools and its facilities. >> Good evening. Um we are proposing tonight to fund the projects through a borrowing process called uh bond issue. Um our proposal is to borrow $135 million uh to fund phase one of the projects. In addition, we'll be also funding some projects with budget dollars. The projects to be funded by the bond issue are shown here on the page. modernizing Glen Ridge Elementary, constructing the STEM lab at Clayton Ele at Clayton High School, and upgrading Gayfield. Uh the bond issue itself will be repaid with a zero tax rate increase. I'd like to introduce our project team uh from Perkins and Will, which is the design team on the elementary schools. We have Steve Turkis and Amy. Can't remember your last name. Amy from Paragon, uh, who's also part of that team, Brad Irwin and Mike Younglo. From BLDD, John Whitlock. And from our CM, our construction management team of BSI, we have Paul and a Hannah. I'm sorry about that. They're each going to make a presentation on their part of the project tonight. Well, good evening. This is a a slide that we've shared several times. Um, you know, we we really try to begin with the end in mind uh and working towards that April 7th date.

This is a a slide that we've shared several times. Um, you know, we we really try to begin with the end in mind uh and working towards that April 7th date. And so, tonight's the big night to kind of put the bow on a lot of the work that's been done uh to this point to, you know, present to you and to the community uh to help make that decision uh moving forward. So, just a snapshot of some of the work behind the scenes. We'll go ahead and start with uh Glenidge Elementary School and um I'd probably like to ask Nina for her talking points because those were absolutely awesome and uh just a great representation of everything that we heard through the process. You know, Glenidge is one of the it is the oldest uh school uh in the sorry the oldest building in the school district. Um we're approaching 100 years old. Um, and you know, really the teaching has completely evolved since even the 1994 edition, you know, quite frankly. And so there's been a lot of improvements over the years, but really what how are we getting set up moving uh forward? And so through the planned improvements that we'll go over tonight, it's going to have flexible learning environments, tornado shelter, dedicated areas for wellness, for technology, um, and to really do all of this still within the facade, the exterior of the historic building, which I think is really important, and we heard that tonight.