Voters say yes to Bluestem special bond question

LEON, Kan. (KSNW) — Voters said yes to the Bluestem special bond question Tuesday.

According to unofficial results, 395 voters, or 57% of voters, voted yes, and 298 voters, or 43% of voters, voted no.

In Leon, the Bluestem school district has seen growth. The bond will add classrooms to the elementary school and high school, as well as expand programs.

“A lot of it is just our location and with the population around us,” Bluestem Superintendent Joel Lovesee said. “Depending on cost of living in Wichita to Andover, people want to move farther out. A lot of the programs we offer, I would say one of the best ag programs in the country when it comes to elementary school.”

Over the last three years, the district has added about 30 students, and enrollment increased again this year. They cannot accept any out-of-district students, and there is a waitlist at the preschool because of a lack of space.

To make the schools safer, each building will now get a storm shelter and bullet-resistant glass.

“Security is our number one priority on this bond, especially with everything going on in the world today,” Lovesee said. “We’re responsible for people’s children. That’s the most important part of their lives. And so they’re dropping them off at eight in the morning, expecting them to come home safely by four. And so we want to take every, every measure we can to protect them. I don’t feel confident enough that we can protect their children how we should now.”