Following informational presentations by RSP and Dr. Christy Ziegler, chief of student and family services, (boundary work group update & enrollment trend data) and Judd Remmers, director of facilities (overview of the work of two Strategic Plan Action Teams focused on the district’s long-term facility needs and planning; site considerations of East Antioch Elementary and Santa Fe Trail Elementary), the board engaged in a lengthy discussion on a wide range of connected topics.
At the conclusion of those deliberations, the Board reached consensus with direction provided to reengage with Action Team 6.1.2 to develop a revised bond recommendation of facility needs that does not include boundary changes or school retirements.

Board members emphasized that boundary work remains necessary and should be expanded beyond North and East feeder patterns and consider a wider range of challenges and opportunities, but also agreed efforts should move forward on a separate timeline and not delay the consideration of a potential 2027 bond issue.

The district will cancel community meetings that had been scheduled for September 17 (East Antioch) and September 24 (Santa Fe Trail), will pause the work of the currently assembled Boundary Work Group, and prioritize focus on an updated Strategy 6.1.2 recommendation, including a revised bond project list to be presented to the Board on October 12. The possibility of a public hearing was discussed during the board meeting but will no longer take place.

View the presentations held prior to Board discussion below. Prior to this discussion two presentations related to potential bond, school retirement and boundary changes were held.

Read the Full 8/24/26 Board Meeting Recap

Watch the Board presentation and discussion on YouTube — begins around 1:45:03

RSP Scope of Work Review

View the presentation at 34:55 in the Board of Education meeting video.

East Antioch Elementary Discussion
View the presentation at 2:05:05 in the Board of Education meeting video.

Board Items Strategic Plan Action Team Report Dr. David Stubblefield, deputy superintendent, and Judd Remmers, director of facilities, presented a report from Strategic Plan Action Team 6.1.2. Dr. Stubblefield began the presentation by thanking the community for supporting the district’s facility efforts and the most recent bond passed in 2021. He shared that it was important for staff and families to hear the information first on Fri. Aug. 21 and for conversation and feedback to continue to take place. Dr. Schumacher took questions from Board members and said that administrators would prepare for more discussion at the next Board meeting on Sept. 14. He noted that the date for the Board to consider the recommendation from the boundary work group is Oct. 26.
Read the Full 8/24/26 Board Meeting Recap
Watch the Board presentation and discussion on YouTube — begins around 1:45:03

Important Announcement About Santa Fe Trail Elementary School

On Monday, August 24, 2026, the Shawnee Mission Board of Education will hear a proposal with future impacts to Santa Fe Trail Elementary School. All Santa Fe Trail Elementary staff members were invited to hear this information at an optional meeting on Friday, August 21, 2026, and this message was shared with staff and families so everyone could be aware of the information that would be presented to the Board. The Recommendation Administrators will recommend to the Shawnee Mission Board of Education that East Antioch Elementary School be retired as a student attendance center, effective Fall 2031. Students currently attending East Antioch would be reassigned to nearby schools, including an anticipated newly rebuilt Santa Fe Trail Elementary School in Fall 2031. This means the first groups of students expected to be impacted by the boundary change and move to an anticipated newly rebuilt Santa Fe Trail Elementary School would be students who are in Kindergarten and first grade during the 2026–2027 school year.
Human Resources team members attended meetings with both East Antioch and Santa Fe Trail staff on August 21, 2026, to answer questions about how the retirement of East Antioch and movement of students to nearby schools could impact staffing for the 2031–2032 school year. Read the Full Announcement – Proposal to Retire East Antioch and Merge with Santa Fe Trail