Public weighs in on Inman renovation plans

The Red Oak Community School District held a community forum on Sept. 7 to get feedback regarding proposed renovations to the Inman Elementary building.
The district is proposing to add a more secure entrance, expand the Inman cafeteria by about 55%, and enlarge and reconfigure the Inman main office to better support safety, dining, and daily operations.
Red Oak superintendent Ron Lorenz said while the current entrance includes an electronic door release with a video intercom, it lacks the added protection of two sets of secure doors. As a result, visitors can enter the building without first checking in at the office, and unauthorized individuals may slip in behind someone who has been granted access. The proposed renovations would address this by adding a double-door security vestibule that directs all visitors through the office, where they can be properly screened before entering the rest of the building.
“You may recall a couple years ago, all of our buildings were subject to a state vulnerability assessment where an independent contractor hired by the state came in and gave us feedback about what we need to be thinking about to make our buildings as secure as they need to be,” commented Lorenz. “We’ve been talking about this issue with our school and curriculum advisory committee for at least the last three years, getting their input. And then finally, feedback from board meetings, work sessions, and just community members interacting with the board, so this is not something that has just happened recently. This has been a building that has been a crescendo for at least the last two years.”
Another major piece to the renovation is an addition to the Inman cafeteria. Principal Jane Chaillie said although overall enrollment is declining, the Inman cafeteria was originally designed for fewer and smaller K-3 students and no longer provides enough space for the school’s needs. Overcrowding limits the time students have to eat, often forcing them to rush meals or return to class late.
“We serve two grade levels every day at lunch together in this space. The space is very congested, which means that students have less than 20 minutes to eat lunch, which we know is not best practice. Research shows that when students have less than 20 minutes to eat, they consume less food, waste more, and return to class less focused,” Chaillie advised. “By expanding that, having a little bit more room, we’re going to be able to get students in and be able to serve them and protect instructional time as well. Also, the number one time that we have disciplinary issues within our school building is right after lunch, and some of that is because students are in a very congested area, loud, very difficult to handle. So we do have more issues with discipline. So hopefully by expanding this, some noise canceling or some noise control, we will be able to reduce some of those disciplinary actions.”
Also, it is believed that a larger cafeteria will also create flexible space that benefits both students and the community. Modern dining areas can serve multiple purposes, from student collaboration and hands-on learning to school events and community gatherings. By investing in this expansion, the district will ensure that students have adequate time to eat, support better nutrition, improve behavior, and protect valuable instructional time — making the project a meaningful investment in student well-being, academic success, and community engagement.
Lorenz made it clear multiple times during the forum that the district had funding in place for the proposed project.
“We are not talking about raising taxes. I hope people go out of this meeting and say it over and over again, because I think there are still people that hear the word construction project and they assume that’s going to have some kind of tax impact. We are not talking about raising taxes,” stated Lorenz.
According to Lorenz, the district has been strategically saving two primary sources of funding dedicated to facilities: the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) and the Secure and Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund. PPEL, which currently holds about $3.48 million, is earmarked for safety upgrades, repairs, remodeling, and other facility improvements. SAVE, which has a balance of roughly $3.85 million, is generated from a statewide one-cent sales tax and is restricted by law to school infrastructure projects. It is important to note that both PPEL and SAVE are categorical funds that cannot be used for salaries, benefits, tuition, or general operating expenses. In addition, the district has invested its reserves to maximize interest earnings, generating an additional $327,387 over the past two years. Together, these resources provide a strong financial foundation to pay for the planned improvements while preserving the district’s commitment to fiscal responsibility.
The forum was opened to the public to ask questions. Chaillie said one question she had heard asked was why the district wasn’t looking at parking lots or an additional drive behind the building at this point. While there were a lot of ideas that were put out there, and all of them were good answers, and all of them were important things, Challie said the district is limited in terms of the resources that they have.
“One of the ideas that had a bit of attraction that I was excited about, and we talked about it several times in the board meetings, was the addition of a lane on the south side of the building to do two things, enhance emergency access and also to provide some relief for parents who are picking students up off of 8th Street. That was something I think the board looked at in great detail, but unfortunately, the grade of the hill back there, and the cost, did not make it cost effective given what it was going to take. I also want to say traffic flow, drop-off, and pick-up is something that we continually look at. The district has invested significant resources in computer software to help with that,” Chaillie explained.
Lorenz added that Challie and her staff have gone to great lengths to create and refine a plan for drop-off and pick-up.
“I know that we’ve had good conversations with the city because we know this isn’t a school issue, this is a city issue. It’s something that every neighborhood school in every city across the country deals with, but that doesn’t make it any easier when you’re sitting in traffic at about 3 o’clock. So we’re aware of it, we’re working on it, the city’s aware of it, they’re working with us. It’s a big issue and we’re still trying to find a solution,” said Lorenz.
Another question was asked about why the plan did not include adding additional classrooms or bringing preschool to the Inman building. Lorenz said there were a couple of reasons why.
“The fact of the matter is we’re experiencing declining enrollment, so it’s difficult to justify additional classroom space given the fact that our student population is declining. The question about preschool is something that we’re talking about right now. So it’s not that that idea has not been abandoned at all. On the contrary, it’s something that we’re starting to talk about in more detail and figure out logistically how we could do that,” Lorenz commented.
The question was also raised as to whether there would be an expansion of the Inman Elementary kitchen. As it stands, the kitchen is staying the same and is designed to handle extra capacity.
No other questions were raised during the public forum; however, the district did address some other frequently asked questions and responses.
• Why do we need to expand and reconfigure the office space?
Expanding and reconfiguring the office will strengthen safety by improving visibility, ensuring all visitors check in properly, and controlling access to the rest of the building. It will also create a welcoming and confidential environment that supports family engagement and makes parents feel more connected to the school. A more functional layout will increase efficiency by streamlining daily tasks, reducing delays, and minimizing classroom interruptions so teachers can remain focused on instruction and students can stay on task. Just as importantly, the redesigned office will provide a professional first impression that reflects the high standards of our school and builds trust within the community.
• How much will these improvements cost?
The most recent cost projections for the planned improvements range between $3.2 million and $3.3 million. The Board may allocate an additional $500,000 to replace an aging HVAC unit. The district has sufficient resources to fully fund the projects without raising taxes, jeopardizing contingency funds, limiting future projects, or over-extending itself financially.
• When will these renovations take place?
Bids would be solicited in November and remain open through mid-December. The Board could then approve bids in December, with construction beginning in early March 2026. Work is expected to be completed by August 2026, in time for the new school year. Construction will create some temporary disruptions. Traffic flow around the building will be affected, and school personnel will need to adjust office operations, lunch schedules, and limit movement within certain areas of the building. The district would work closely with architects and contractors to develop a plan that minimizes these impacts and keeps school operations running as smoothly as possible.