The USD-440 Board of Education made it official Monday night by unanimously approving a resolution to authorize the calling of a bond election. The district intends to hold a special election to vote on general obligation bonds to pay the estimated $28,500,000 costs to construct, furnish, and equip: (a) additions, improvements, and renovations to Bentley Primary School, including secured entry, site improvements, and renovation and modernization of library, classrooms, cafeteria, restrooms, special education areas and gymnasium. (b) additions, improvements and renovations to Halstead Middle School, including site improvements, renovation and modernization of pre-K classrooms, cafeteria and restrooms, and a new entrance for facility activities. (c) additions, improvements, and renovations to Halstead High School, including a seventh- and eighth-grade addition, weight room and girls’ locker room addition, administration offices and conference room addition, performing arts and rehearsal space classroom addition, renovations and modernization of auditorium, classrooms, and industrial arts spaces; and secured entry addition and improvements. (d) renovation and improvements to all district facilities including a replacement press box at the football facility and new softball and baseball fields. (e) make all other necessary improvements related to the project. Superintendent Ron Barry said they can’t put everything in the notice because it would make it extremely long but that it covers the main pieces. He said the vote would be in-person only but would provide an opportunity for absentee ballots by request.
Source: Harvey County Now

Recently, there’s been significant discussion at Harvey County Commission meetings about the state of rural roads, following weeks of snow and slush. But not all rural roads are the county’s responsibility. The upkeep of many roads falls to the townships they are located in. The Harvey County Road and Bridge Department is responsible for all the paved roads and bridges within the county (outside of the cities), according to County Clerk Rick Piepho, as well as 74.28 miles of unpaved roads. These roads include dirt roads such as Woodlawn and long stretches of East Lake Road. The rest of the unpaved roads are the responsibility of the individual townships. Harvey County has 15 townships that cover the entire county. Harvey County is on a township road system, according to Piepho, while some other counties, like Marion, are on a county road system. The difference is who is responsible for things like the roads.  In Harvey County, each township has roads they are responsible for maintaining and clearing after a snowstorm.
Source: Harvey County Now

Last summer, the Harvey County Extension office ran a STEM program at Lillian Tear Library, and according to Librarian Chantel Rindt, everybody loved it. So she went out and got a grant and now runs a monthly STEM program for elementary-aged students. Last week, 13 kids (Rindt said they average 15 to 18 each month) gathered to build using sticks, marshmallows and gummy bears. Then they played a game of rolling dice that required adding to complete rows. Rindt said she doesn’t have a specific curriculum for the program but searches the Internet and uses a couple of books to come up with ideas. “I homeschool my youngest kiddo, and all the kids that will be here today are from our homeschool community,” Rindt said. That was for the 2 to 3 p.m. session. She also runs a 5 to 6 p.m. session and said she tries to schedule the monthly meetings on Fridays that won’t interfere with public school activities so kids can attend. The program has been going on since October. “It’s a lot of fun,” Rindt said. “We have 3-D printing pins that we used. We play games and build things, and it’s a lot of fun.” Next month, the STEM program will take place on Friday, March 15, from 2 to 3 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m.
Source: Harvey County Now