Sioux Falls School District 49-5 staff presented a multi-stage timetable for the district's capital improvement plan and the potential replacement of Whittier Middle School, saying a steering committee and public listening sessions will shape the final bond package.

Mr. Conrad told the board the district is compiling a comprehensive project list and aims to have that list ready by December 2025 so a steering committee can review costs and priorities during meetings scheduled February through June 2026. "The goal is that that steering committee would come to the board the school board in August 2026 with some recommendations," he said.

Staff described the broader schedule: the board would determine timing for a bond election around February 2027, the public vote would be held in spring 2027 if moved forward, architectural plans would be developed in 2027, and the district would aim to begin Whittier construction in 2028 with a target opening in 2030 if the bond passes.

Presenters said the steering committee will include community representatives, city planning staff and district leadership, and that community members will be able to apply for committee membership. Staff noted prior listening sessions changed project lists in the last bond cycle and emphasized the district wants geographically diverse representation on the steering committee.

On the Whittier facility itself, staff and board members reiterated that the building is one of the district's oldest, has ADA and accessibility shortcomings, and that renovation costs previously examined exceeded the cost of building new; staff said a new building could expand programming and possibly include an after‑school partner facility.

Next steps: district leadership will complete the project list by December 2025, establish a CIP steering committee early in 2026, hold public listening sessions after the committee's work, and return recommendations to the board in August 2026 ahead of any bond timeline decision in early 2027.