Great Bend USD 428 Superintendent Khris Thexton showed photos of cracks in the high school track and other areas of concern at Monday’s school board meeting. Plans are already being made for projects at the track, Panther Activity Center and Great Bend Middle School gym.
Outdoor tracks take a beating in Kansas weather, so it’s not unusual that the one at GBHS needs some work, Thexton said. It’s been five years since some bad spots were replaced. The board gave its approval Monday to release bid specs for a repair project.
Earlier in the meeting, the board approved repairs to the artificial turf on the football field. United Sports Systems in Wichita will do the work for $13,500. Thexton said the majority of the cost is for the rubber they will need to bring in to replace. USS will repair any inlays that are loose or any seams that have come undone, and do a top dressing that grooms the field and makes it look like new.
The track is approaching 10 years in age and is good for at least another five years, Thexton said.
“It’s been a good investment,” he said. “Every time I go out on that field someone’s on it and that’s great; that’s what it’s there for.”
Replacing the turf entirely is probably a $300,000 project, Thexton continued. Ideally, when the time comes he’d like to replace the turf and the track at the same time.
Other projects
The wooden bleachers in the GBMS north gym are starting to splinter and that will be another project in the near future. New bleachers could also be configured to allow more seating than the gym has at this time.
The PAC is fairly new but Thexton said they’ve had a problem there with moisture condensation. He showed the board a photo of a free-hanging fan called an “Air Pair” that could solve the problem.

Kennedy Kern leads viola section

Great Bend Middle School Orchestra teacher Jennifer Demaree and GBMS Orchestra student Kennedy Kern recently attended the Southwest District KMEA Honor Orchestra, held in Dodge City. Kern was honored to be the principal viola and lead her section as 1st chair viola musician. The musicians from Dodge City, Garden City and Great Bend spent six hours in rehearsal and then performed in an evening concert under the direction of a guest clinician.