HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The USD 308 School Board approved the contract to build an addition to Faris Elementary School during Monday’s meeting.

The board awarded the contract to Wiens & Co. — the lowest bidder — for $2,010,500.

Bids came in about $500,000 less than architectural estimates for the project. Capital outlay funds will pay for the project.

Improvements at Faris during the 2006 bond issue added space to the facility, but created additional challenges. The school received enough classrooms to have two sections of each grade, an all-day kindergarten and a new library. The bond issue, however, did not include an addition to the school’s cafeteria/gym, leaving it undersized for the number of students in the school. The bond issue also did not include needed small spaces for support personnel who work one-on-one with students.

The 8,900-square-foot addition will extend the building to the east on the north side of the existing structure and include improvements to the existing cafeteria, a new gymnasium, additional classroom spaces, two restrooms, and office and storage areas.

The board also approved stipends for district staff of 1% of salary, not to be less than $350. Stipends will go to staff working as of May 13, 2019, and will come out of the 2018-19 budget. The stipends will be paid in the June paycheck and go to regularly-contracted staff.

The motion made by board member Greg Meredith said, “In recognition of the hard work and commitment to the success of our students, I move approval of a stipend for all employees of record May 13, 2019. The stipend will be 1 percent of base salary, not less than $350 of gross wages.”