Wichita Public Schools is opening up some of its school buildings this summer to let members of the public see what needs could potentially be met with a $615 million bond issue.
Every Tuesday evening through early August, the district will host a tour at a different school. This week’s event was at Christa McAuliffe Academy, a K-8 school in southeast Wichita built with funds from the last bond issue approved by voters in 2008.
The tour at Christa McAuliffe, which opened in 2012, was primarily meant to demonstrate the potential benefits of modernizing other schools.
Principal Jacob Johnston said many other school buildings prioritized in the bond proposal have issues like leaky roofs, poor heating and air conditioning, and outdated classroom spaces.
“[Christa McAuliffe] is designed for learning in the 21st century. So now we have enough outlets for our computers, for instance,” he said. “Our learning spaces are larger to adapt to growing programs, such as our ROTC program.”
If the bond passes, Christa McAuliffe would be one of a handful of schools to get traffic improvements. Because the school is a K-8, it sees heavy traffic at pickup times, which spills out onto a nearby street and creates safety hazards.
“It’s super dangerous,” Johnston said. “Every single year, our community members, our parents are concerned about it. WPD comes out and helps us problem-solve, but in the end it still happens to some degree, and we want to minimize that or not have it happen at all.”
In November, voters in the Wichita school district will decide whether to approve the district taking on $615 million in bond debt. Voters narrowly rejected a $450 million proposal in February 2025.
This time around, bond funds would enable the district to renovate and rebuild several schools, improve heating and air conditioning across the district, and preserve the district’s oldest high schools — among other projects.
Each open house this summer will be from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Details on the remaining events are:
- June 30 - Coleman Environmental Magnet Middle School, 1544 N. Governeour
- July 7 - Black Traditional Magnet Elementary School, 1045 High St.
- July 14 - Northwest High School, 1220 N. Tyler
- July 21 - Adams Elementary School, 1002 N. Oliver
- July 28 - Irving Elementary, 1642 N. Market
- August 4 - Future Ready Manufacturing Center at North High School, 1435 N. Waco
The district asks people to RSVP on its website if they plan to attend one of the tours.
