By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Last December, USD 428 Director of Teaching and Learning Joann Blevins presented renderings of how each classroom at the new Little Panthers Preschool might look to the board of education. An original estimate of $165,000 was given for the furniture and learning materials. Monday night, the board moved forward with the purchase from Lakeshore Learning Materials for $157,309.07. Blevins said the furniture will be delivered with Lakeshore's "white-glove service."
"They will unload the truck," she said. "They will unpack the boxes, assemble the furniture, unpack all the classroom items, clean up after themselves, and take it all away."
Cubbies and cabinets that were installed in each room dropped the original estimate. The new preschool just off the 281 Bypass in Great Bend will accommodate up to 288 preschoolers ages 3-4, and is scheduled to open in August.
Blevins also shared good news with the board regarding the Kansas Preschool Pilot Grant. Last year, USD 428 received more than $343,000 via the grant. That number moves up to $388,370 this year.
"The way they set this grant up this year was that everybody that had already received a grant the prior year would get the same amount of funding," Blevins said, "but you could apply for up to $50,000 in additional funds if you had expanded your program."
The USD 428 Education Foundation Building for the Future Campaign is still ongoing to raise funds for the new facility. A contribution of any size can make a difference, but a donation of $10,000 will sponsor a classroom. As of Monday, the campaign had raised $53,034. Contact the Ed Foundation for more information by emailing education.foundation@usd428.net.