What work has the Beresford School District and Beresford School District Board of Education done to get to this point? During our September 2021 strategic planning session, the Beresford School District Board of Education discussed short-term and long-term needs. We identified the following action steps during our session: (1) Explore efforts to alleviate gym space congestion and usage, (2) Conduct a growth analysis regarding building capacity and future projects, and (3) Develop communication plans and talking points regarding future efforts based on current needs and growth patterns. The need for additional gymnasium space for our students and community has been a discussion point for the last five years. We utilize our gymnasiums for our fine arts, athletic, and physical education programming. Space becomes a premium during and after the school day when different groups and organizations request our space for their practices and events. During the 2021-2022 school year, we engaged with Architecture Incorporated to create preliminary designs and obtain a cost estimate for gymnasium space, we analyzed growth trends and crafted models regarding building capacity, we updated/reviewed our master facility plans, and we created discussion points regarding our work.
What does the project involve? The BSD serves over 700 students. Elementary, middle, and high school students are all directly affected by gymnasium space needs in the District. Adding a gymnasium would add three full-length cross-courts, a full-size competition court for HSAA-sanctioned events, an activity entrance, and renovations to the multi-purpose room (e.g., with the addition of restrooms and a concessions area). The addition would allow us to move away from our outdoor freezer to an indoor freezer with additional space for kitchen/custodial storage. The new gym would be able to seat 1,890 people and the project involves the addition of 25,140 square feet and a remodel of 3,900 square feet. We have positioned the project in a location that would allow for future expansion based on our needs and priorities.
For full project information, go to https://www.beresford.k12.sd.us/page/2022-bond-project.
The bond election is scheduled for Tuesday, September 13, 2022, at the Beresford City Library from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
