Proposed site plan for GRHS showing track replacement, the addition to school, and area to be demoed.
GRHS proposed main floor plan.Click to enlarge.
Proposed RES addition to GRMS. Click to enlarge.
Proposed site plan for GRHS showing track replacement, the addition to school, and area to be demoed.
The Proposed Solution
How the District Developed This Plan
The bond proposal did not emerge from a quick decision. A process that began with staff surveys in 2023 included an independent facility assessment by architecture firm JEO Consulting Group, six public meetings, building tours open to community members, and multiple surveys. The district mailed a postcard survey to every registered-voter household in the district and collected 576 feedback responses in all.
That input directly shaped the final plan. An earlier proposal carried a price tag estimated between $60 and $80 million. Community concerns about cost led to reductions, including the removal of a proposed new gymnasium. On August 27, 2026, the board voted to place the current $24,850,000 measure on the November ballot.
After incorporating feedback from the community, the resulting plan focuses on two campuses: Gordon-Rushville High School in Gordon and the Rushville Middle School campus in Rushville, where a new elementary school addition would be built.
Gordon-Rushville High School
The three-story portion of the high school building is approximately 100 years old. The plan calls for demolishing the oldest and most deteriorated sections of the building — including the three-story structure and a structurally compromised wrestling room annex — while renovating and expanding portions that remain serviceable. The deteriorating track at the high school would also be replaced. Click here to download the plans.
Rushville Elementary School
The existing Rushville Elementary School building is approximately 85 years old, with aging plumbing, a structural concern in the framing above the lounge storage area, and no on-site cafeteria or gymnasium. Students currently cross the street to the middle school multiple times each day for meals and physical education — a daily safety and operational challenge.
The bond proposes replacing the elementary building entirely, not with a standalone structure, but with a new addition built directly onto the Gordon-Rushville Middle School campus. This eliminates the street crossing, provides shared access to the middle school's existing facilities, offers opportunities for more efficient operations, and gives elementary students their own secure, separate entry and learning wing. Click here to download the plans.
Why is this needed?
CHALLENGES
Gordon-Rushville High School
Safety and Security
-
The building is not equipped with a fire sprinkler system
-
Visitors who buzz in are not required to pass through the main office. Because the office is not adjacent to the entry, visitor movement through the building is unmonitored after the door opens.
-
A gym annex attached to the building is structurally insufficient and has been taken out of use. Its location blocks an emergency exit path.
-
The basement cafeteria has limited options for safe entry and exit.
Building Condition
-
The original three-story structure is approximately 100 years old, with building systems at or beyond their expected lifespan.
-
Doors and windows in portions of the building have deteriorated.
-
Rooms no longer in active use require ongoing maintenance without educational benefit.
Accessibility
-
Parking and the main entry do not meet ADA standards.
-
Front entry walks and ramps are not fully ADA compliant.
-
Multiple additional ADA accessibility issues exist throughout the building.
Athletic Facilities
-
The weight room has poor ventilation and limited access.
-
The running track is not recommended for use.
Rushville Elementary School
Safety and Security
-
The building is not equipped with a fire sprinkler system.
-
The school has no on-site cafeteria or gymnasium; students must cross the street to the middle school multiple times each day for meals and physical education.
Building Condition
-
The original building is approximately 85 years old, with plumbing and equipment showing significant age.
-
A structural concern exists in framing above the lounge storage area.
Accessibility
-
Multiple ADA accessibility issues exist in the original building.
SOLUTIONS
Gordon-Rushville High School
Safety and Security
-
The new addition will be built to current fire code, including a full sprinkler system throughout.
-
A new secure main entrance places the office at the point of entry, so all visitors are checked in before accessing the building.
-
Demolition of the three-story building and the structurally compromised wrestling room annex; new construction meets current life safety codes, structural and emergency egress standards.
-
A new cafeteria and commons space will be built at grade level with proper access and exits.
Building Condition
-
New construction and targeted renovations replace deteriorated doors, windows, and building envelope components.
-
The new building is sized to match current enrollment and operational needs, eliminating unused square footage and reducing maintenance costs for better efficiency.
Accessibility
-
A new secure main entrance is designed to current ADA standards, with compliant parking, approach walks, and entry points.
-
The new addition and renovation addresses the building's widespread ADA barriers with a design built to today's accessibility standards from the ground up.
Athletic Facilities
-
The weight room is renovated with proper ventilation, adequate access, and updated space for a wrestling room and locker rooms.
-
The running track will be replaced.
Rushville Elementary School
Safety and Security
-
The new elementary addition will be built to current fire code, including a full sprinkler system.
-
The new Rushville Elementary school and the existing middle school will have separate, secure, monitored entries so visitors can be checked in before building access is granted.
-
The new elementary addition is built directly attached to the Gordon-Rushville Middle School; students have access to shared facilities without crossing the street.
Building Condition
-
The new elementary addition replaces the original building entirely, with all-new, more efficient building systems — plumbing, electrical, HVAC — designed for a modern school environment.
Accessibility
-
The new elementary addition is designed to current ADA standards throughout, eliminating the accessibility barriers present in the original building.
Daily Operations
-
A dedicated, secure elementary entrance keeps younger students safely separated from middle school traffic during arrivals and departures.
-
Consolidating operations under one roof allows the district to streamline administrative functions currently duplicated across two separate buildings.