August 16, 2024

We hope patrons will use this page to find up-to-date information about the status of the new elementary school. Below are the most recent renderings of this new school's front exterior and interior designs. The building below is shown with the inclusion of the Thunderbird Learning Center (TLC). It is shown with TLC because the early childhood portion will be bid as a bid alternate. The district hopes to potentially include TLC, if feasible, within the budget of the project.

Additionally, due to the code, the storm shelter's square footage increased to include a larger area. This will help ensure the storm shelter meets the needs for TLC and could meet the needs of any additional expansions in the future. Other safety features, such as secure entries, extra cameras, and alarmed doors, will provide a safe learning environment for students.

The images provided below are the most recent renderings of the project. These could change before a final design is accepted. They represent the feedback and input from teachers, students, district employees, and community members.

The budget for the project is still within the original scope and is trending in a positive direction. Most recently, the geotech reports came back favorable regarding the soil conditions for the foundation of the building. Currently, 50% of the construction documents are complete. By September, 75% will be full, and all construction documents will be officially done by the October 11 deadline. From there, contractors will receive the documents and begin formulating their bids based on the specifications of the building. The Board of Education will receive bids in November and officially accept a bid in December.

While we hoped to be able to break ground in December, it is likely to be January before we officially break down. Holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year will make it challenging to break ground in January. However, we are excited to kick off 2025 with a groundbreaking ceremony for the new school. Right now, we are right on schedule for a targeted finish date of June 2026. This will allow the district to take occupancy over summer 2026 and then for the first group of students to start in August 2026.

As the project continues, we hope to post regular communications on this portion of the district website. Additionally, we will continue to update our social media pages throughout the process to keep all patrons informed. This building could not have happened without the large support of the North Callaway R-1 community. There is Thunderbird Pride in every phase of this project.

• 3 Classrooms per grade level

• 2 Additional Classrooms for grade levels with larger class sizes

• 3 Special Education classrooms

• Art Room

• Music Room

• Library

• Breakout Spaces

• Varsity Size Gym - Seating for 400

• Cafeteria - F4 Tornado Shelter - mandatory

• Main Offices - 2 Administrators, Counselor(s), Teacher Workroom, Mothers’ Room, Conference Room, Faculty Bathroom

• PT/OT space

• Title I Reading Room

• Gifted Education Room

• Playgrounds

• Secure entrances

The Board of Education approved the FY25 Budget in June. This budget reflects the generosity of the community in providing more competitive salaries for teachers and non-certified positions. Teacher base salary moved from $32,500 to $36,000. And, the non-certified base moved from $12.50/hour to $13.50/hour. Community support helped the district recruit and retain teachers and employees for the 2024-25 school year. Below is a breakdown of how every dollar approved as part of Proposition C was used to increase teacher and non-certified salaries for employees. The district has a ways to go to reach the new state minimum of $40,000 as a result of SB727. However, the combined efforts of Props N+C will help make it a reality.