Kelly school district making progress on its bond projects

Workers pour concrete for the new weight room, locker room and classroom building Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Scott County R-4 “Kelly” schools in rural Benton, Missouri. Several projects from the district’s 2022 bond issue are underway this summer. (Gina Williams/Standard Democrat)

BENTON, Mo. — Scott County R-4 “Kelly” School District's new construction and summer maintenance continue.

Scotty County R-4 residents voted in April 2022 to support a $6.5 million no-tax increase bond proposal known as "Proposition Kelly Schools 2022."

The bond issue pledged to improve school facilities and safety. Several projects, including baseball and softball field lights, new HVAC and bleachers in the high school gym, and new HVAC units in the elementary school, have already been completed by the school system.

“The construction projects with the bond issue enhanced security for students, improved facilities that were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and provided for enhancements on other facilities to give our students the best educational experiences,” Superintendent Dr. Bradley Kolwyck said.

The middle school restoration and security vestibule are underway now, as are the high school weight room, classroom and locker rooms, according to Kolwyck.

“I believe that our students deserve the best facilities that we can provide them, making sure that the necessities are taken care of while providing improvements, upgrades or enhancements if available,” the superintendent said.

Kolwyck said the newly upgraded middle school entrance will allow for double-secure access. 

“Improved cameras, access points, door alarms, security film and others will all complement our construction projects through other grants that we’ve received,” Kolwyck said. 

Kolwyck said the school has never had a dedicated weight room for the students, and they were constantly crowded due to the short capacity of the former weight room. 

“Because of the space that we’ve had, the bond issue helped improve that area of need by building a new weight room, classroom and locker rooms,” Kolwyck said. 

According to Kolwyck, the middle school hallway renovations will be finished before the start of school in August, but the security vestibule will not be finished until late September. 

Kolwyck added the high school construction project will be completed in early February 2024. 

Kolwyck went on to clarify that, in addition to the bond projects, Thomas W. Kelly Lady Hawks Softball Team supporters formed a booster club to help with facility improvements and other program needs. 

The first project for the booster club was the construction of a new press box just behind home plate. Kolwyck said it would be finished by the end of the summer.

Kolwyck said the district received a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s safety grant in the amount of $150,000 this year for upgrading and installing more security cameras, door access controls and security window/door film.