The scheduled bond work for Mexico School District improvements is coming to a close as administration turns its attention to next year’s budget.

At the May 19 Mexico School District Board of Education meeting, members heard updates about the ongoing work funded by the Paws for Progress Bond, and Dr. Troy Lentz, district superintendent, presented items that will appear on the fiscal year 2026-27 budget including additional course offerings for Mexico’s Agriculture and FFA programs.

The $21 million no tax-rate increase bond issue that was passed in April 2024 outlined improvements to McMillan Early Learning Center, Eugene Field Elementary, Hawthorne Elementary, Mexico Middle School, Mexico High School, Hart Career Center, and the administrative building.

Part of the bond work includes improvements to Emmons hall — new sound equipment, lighting, curtains and curtain rigging. Lentz reported the sound work is currently in progress and presented the $272,612 bid for the curtain and lighting work from Associated Theatrical Contractors to the board at the May meeting.

“It’s going to be a much better space,” he said.

Other district projects Lentz said are “in progress” include HVAC replacement at McMillan, HCC and central office as well as a number of MHS upgrades. The projects at MHS includes the construction of a new and secure entry, tennis courts and the Gary Filbert Gym floor as well as upgrades to Elevator A.

Renovations to the vocational-technical school and upgrades to Elevator B at MHS are also part of the bond, but they have not started yet.

Lentz said that the bond work is “winding down.” Playground improvements at the elementary schools and McMillan, HVAC replacement and roof repairs at MHS and Eugene Field, softball field upgrades at MHS, fire alarm installation at the central office, and other MMS upgrades including the addition and kitchen renovation, have been completed.

“I don’t know what I'm going to do with myself when we get this stuff done,” he said.

Budget considerations

While Lentz said he is thankful the district will be able to pay for everything outlined in the bond’s ballot language, budget development is another story.

“It’s so frustrating in some ways because we are in a real financial situation, but at the same time, we are building tennis courts,” Lentz said. “There’s money that the community passed because the community supported the bond, but that doesn’t have anything to do with the operation side, like paying the light bill and paying the teachers and buying food in the cafeteria.”

The budget recently passed in the Missouri State legislature is $190 million below full k-12 funding, and the bond money cannot be used to make up the difference.

Two items, the purchase of two new buses and an FFA stipend, were approved in the May meeting and will appear on the FY 27 budget.

Lentz, who is also a bus driver, said the district plans to downsize its bus fleet while also replacing two aging buses.

“We don’t have as many drivers as we’ve had in the past, so even if we wanted to have more routes, it’s difficult to do that, and there’s really no reason to keep a bus sitting on your lot that you're not running and doesn’t have much value,” he said.

The district currently owns 29 buses with manufacture dates ranging from the 90s to the 2020s. The purchase of two new buses that will appear on next year's budget include a 2027 77 Passenger Conventional Airbrake Bus for $173, 385 and a Hydraulic Brake Bus for $168,982.

According to Lentz, the plan is to present three buses to be declared surplus property at the June board meeting and auction them off on Purple Wave.

The Board of Education also approved to increase the number of agriculture classes offered following a student interest survey. Lentz explained the results indicated the district needed to offer more ag classes later in the day.

Previously, MHS was only able to offer one class each hour in the afternoon. Next year, ag science 2 and animal science will be offered at sixth hour while greenhouse 1 and 2 and ag construction 1 and 2 will be offered at seventh hour.

“I don’t think we are where we want to be, but I think we are taking a step forward.”

Board members also approved the addition of a trap team stipend at 5%, an FFA sponsor at 13% and Assistant FFA Sponsor at 9% to the 2026-2027 extra duty schedule.

“Really, there’s an emphasis here of trying to do a better job of supporting our FFA program and the sponsor that leads it with the intention of having more than one sponsor,” Lentz said.