ANGIE ANAYA BORGEDALEN/Liberty Tribune Students, Liberty school board members, city officials and others participate in a groundbreaking ceremony Sunday, July 13, at the site of the district’s second high school. The $41.5 million first phase of the school is projected to open in the fall of 2010. When completed, the school will accommodate approximately 1,600 students in 330,000 square feet.
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Ground broken for new schools
District officials upbeat about the future of education
By Angie Anaya Borgedalen
Just one day before an embarrassing audit was released to the public, Liberty school district officials nonetheless had plenty to celebrate.
On a hot Sunday afternoon, July 13, school board members and others grabbed shovels and put on hardhats to break ground for two new schools: Kellybrook Elementary School and the district’s yet-unnamed second high school.
As he stepped to the podium in an open field for the first groundbreaking, Mayor Bob Steinkamp teased administrator Dee Rosekrans for dialing the wrong mayor. Kellybrook is at 108th and Eastern streets in Kansas City, and the new high school is at 104th Street and Highway A in Liberty, just a few miles apart.
Steinkamp said he was pleased and honored to be participating in both groundbreakings because the reputation of the schools was so crucial to the success of the community.
“Our school district carries our name. It educates our future citizens,” Steinkamp said. “I wanted to be part of that celebration. This is a great day.”
School board President John Sedlock said he was excited that the district was opening a 10th elementary school next year and a second high school in 2010.
Interim Superintendent Mike Brewer thanked patrons gathered at the ceremonies for passing a $58 million bond issue in April with a 78 percent margin that allowed the schools to be built.
“Thank you for investing in kids,” Brewer said. “Work done in schools is the most important work done in our country,”
Although Brewer did not mention a financial scandal that has swirled around former top administrators, he did emphasis how appreciative he was of voters.
“I’ve never been more proud than I was that (election) day,” Brewer said.
Among the 85 people in attendance for the high school groundbreaking were siblings Walt Holt, Peggy Marrs and Nancy Brodbeck, whose grandparents once farmed on the pastoral site, which overlooks Liberty Hospital.
Brodbeck said their mother, Mary Jane (Gorman) Holt, had died 18 months ago but knew before her death that the old family farmstead would be the location of a new high school.
“We’re so glad it’s going to be a school and not another subdivision,” Brodbeck said.
Attending the Kellybrook celebration were members of the Mercer Bush Sr. family, whose ancestors are buried on the former family farm. Brewer said the Bush family cemetery would be moved to an appropriate location on site.
Brewer said the cemetery would honor the family and provide an educational experience for children attending Kellybrook.
Mariah Mallo, an eighth-grader who attended the groundbreaking for the high school with her family, could be eligible to attend the new high school but wasn’t certain she wanted to do that. Once boundaries are established, officials said sophomores and juniors would be the first students assigned to the new school. Seniors would be left at the old high school.
“I want to experience the old high school,” Mallo said.
Li“Our school district carries our name. It educates our future citizens,” Steinkamp said. “I wanted to be part of that celebration. This is a great day.”
School board President John Sedlock said he was excited that the district was opening a 10th elementary school next year and a second high school in 2010.
Interim Superintendent Mike Brewer thanked patrons gathered at the ceremonies for passing a $58 million bond issue in April with a 78 percent margin that allowed the schools to be built.
“Thank you for investing in kids,” Brewer said. “Work done in schools is the most important work done in our country,”
Although Brewer did not mention a financial scandal that has swirled around former top administrators, he did emphasis how appreciative he was of voters.
“I’ve never been more proud than I was that (election) day,” Brewer said.
Among the 85 people in attendance for the high school groundbreaking were siblings Walt Holt, Peggy Marrs and Nancy Brodbeck, whose grandparents once farmed on the pastoral site, which overlooks Liberty Hospital.
Brodbeck said their mother, Mary Jane (Gorman) Holt, had died 18 months ago but knew before her death that the old family farmstead would be the location of a new high school.
“We’re so glad it’s going to be a school and not another subdivision,” Brodbeck said.
Attending the Kellybrook celebration were members of the Mercer Bush Sr. family, whose ancestors are buried on the former family farm. Brewer said the Bush family cemetery would be moved to an appropriate location on site.
Brewer said the cemetery would honor the family and provide an educational experience for children attending Kellybrook.
Mariah Mallo, an eighth-grader who attended the groundbreaking for the high school with her family, could be eligible to attend the new high school but wasn’t certain she wanted to do that. Once boundaries are established, officials said sophomores and juniors would be the first students assigned to the new school. Seniors would be left at the old high school.
“I want to experience the old high school,” Mallo said.
Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or aborgedalen@npgco.com.
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On a hot Sunday afternoon, July 13, school board members and others grabbed shovels and put on hardhats to break ground for two new schools: Kellybrook Elementary School and the district’s yet-unnamed second high school.
As he stepped to the podium in an open field for the first groundbreaking, Mayor Bob Steinkamp teased administrator Dee Rosekrans for dialing the wrong mayor. Kellybrook is at 108th and Eastern streets in Kansas City, and the new high school is at 104th Street and Highway A in Liberty, just a few miles apart.
Steinkamp said he was pleased and honored to be participating in both groundbreakings because the reputation of the schools was so crucial to the success of the community.
“Our school district carries our name. It educates our future citizens,” Steinkamp said. “I wanted to be part of that celebration. This is a great day.”
School board President John Sedlock said he was excited that the district was opening a 10th elementary school next year and a second high school in 2010.
Interim Superintendent Mike Brewer thanked patrons gathered at the ceremonies for passing a $58 million bond issue in April with a 78 percent margin that allowed the schools to be built.
“Thank you for investing in kids,” Brewer said. “Work done in schools is the most important work done in our country,”
Although Brewer did not mention a financial scandal that has swirled around former top administrators, he did emphasis how appreciative he was of voters.
“I’ve never been more proud than I was that (election) day,” Brewer said.
Among the 85 people in attendance for the high school groundbreaking were siblings Walt Holt, Peggy Marrs and Nancy Brodbeck, whose grandparents once farmed on the pastoral site, which overlooks Liberty Hospital.
Brodbeck said their mother, Mary Jane (Gorman) Holt, had died 18 months ago but knew before her death that the old family farmstead would be the location of a new high school.
“We’re so glad it’s going to be a school and not another subdivision,” Brodbeck said.
Attending the Kellybrook celebration were members of the Mercer Bush Sr. family, whose ancestors are buried on the former family farm. Brewer said the Bush family cemetery would be moved to an appropriate location on site.
Brewer said the cemetery would honor the family and provide an educational experience for children attending Kellybrook.
Mariah Mallo, an eighth-grader who attended the groundbreaking for the high school with her family, could be eligible to attend the new high school but wasn’t certain she wanted to do that. Once boundaries are established, officials said sophomores and juniors would be the first students assigned to the new school. Seniors would be left at the old high school.
“I want to experience the old high school,” Mallo said.
Li“Our school district carries our name. It educates our future citizens,” Steinkamp said. “I wanted to be part of that celebration. This is a great day.”
School board President John Sedlock said he was excited that the district was opening a 10th elementary school next year and a second high school in 2010.
Interim Superintendent Mike Brewer thanked patrons gathered at the ceremonies for passing a $58 million bond issue in April with a 78 percent margin that allowed the schools to be built.
“Thank you for investing in kids,” Brewer said. “Work done in schools is the most important work done in our country,”
Although Brewer did not mention a financial scandal that has swirled around former top administrators, he did emphasis how appreciative he was of voters.
“I’ve never been more proud than I was that (election) day,” Brewer said.
Among the 85 people in attendance for the high school groundbreaking were siblings Walt Holt, Peggy Marrs and Nancy Brodbeck, whose grandparents once farmed on the pastoral site, which overlooks Liberty Hospital.
Brodbeck said their mother, Mary Jane (Gorman) Holt, had died 18 months ago but knew before her death that the old family farmstead would be the location of a new high school.
“We’re so glad it’s going to be a school and not another subdivision,” Brodbeck said.
Attending the Kellybrook celebration were members of the Mercer Bush Sr. family, whose ancestors are buried on the former family farm. Brewer said the Bush family cemetery would be moved to an appropriate location on site.
Brewer said the cemetery would honor the family and provide an educational experience for children attending Kellybrook.
Mariah Mallo, an eighth-grader who attended the groundbreaking for the high school with her family, could be eligible to attend the new high school but wasn’t certain she wanted to do that. Once boundaries are established, officials said sophomores and juniors would be the first students assigned to the new school. Seniors would be left at the old high school.
“I want to experience the old high school,” Mallo said.
Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or aborgedalen@npgco.com.