Brighter days: Find out what’s being spruced up at Lee’s Summit’s first high school

An approximately $80 million renovation project is nearing completion at Lee’s Summit High School, with upgrades designed to enhance the school’s learning spaces to better fit the needs of 21st century students. The project is among several included in the Lee’s Summit R-7 School District’s $224 million no-tax-increase bond issue, approved by voters in June 2020.

The Lee’s Summit High School renovations improve circulation throughout the campus, add daylight to indoor areas, create dedicated spaces for small groups and upgrade safety and security features, according to Kari Harrison, the school’s principal.

New construction totaling 60,000 square feet is also being added, along with a new western entrance facing U.S. 50 highway. Less-visible changes include upgrades to the mechanical systems and changes designed to reduce energy costs.

“Students will have dedicated spaces for small, break-out groups, locations to meet and confer with business and industry partners, and flexible furniture,” Harrison said.

L,ee’s Summit High, the school district’s original and oldest high school, opened its doors in 1953. A significant addition was added around 10 years later, with the school’s field house being built in 1963-’64 and the performing arts center in 1979. A major addition, including the lecture hall, was completed during the 2000-’01 school year.

“With the renovation, we will be able to offer students a variety of learning environments that should better match work environments they will encounter in their future,” Harrison said, adding that teachers will also be able to consider the school’s spaces when they design lessons.

“For example, teachers can reserve a space that will hold up to 60 students (two classes) to engage in interdisciplinary lessons.”

Teachers will also be able to reserve rooms with large table surfaces for collaborative classroom projects.

“A space outfitted with soft seating can serve for days devoted to reading or discussions,” she said.

The high school has played an important role in the community for close to seven decades, and the design process for the upgrades incorporated this aspect of the older campus.

“Part of the design consideration was intentionally maintaining LSHS’s prominence in and connection to the community,” Harrison shared. “We have added multiple spaces to hold various group sizes. This allows us to support community programs and after-school use.”

The spaces created to foster a strong connection between the schools and both business and industry will also help better prepare students for their future, she said.

Several components of the renovation are already open and being used by students. A new two-story connector for the school’s buildings A, B and C opened in early April, with work on the school’s new entrance underway. A new centralized library media center, located in the connecting building, has been available since early April as well.

Demolition of the 1952 classrooms is scheduled to be complete by the end of this summer with the new innovative learning environments open for the 2023-24 year.

“We will take occupancy of the entire building in August,” Harrison said, noting that workers will complete finishes and other final touches throughout the fall.

In addition to the extensive renovations at Lee’s Summit High School, the 2020 bond issue funded renovations and additions at Mason Elementary School, which are now complete; a new fourth middle school, known as East Trails, which opened in fall 2022; renovations at the existing middle schools, which supported the district’s 2022-’23 transition to a sixth- through eighth-grade model; safety and security upgrades at all schools; updates to athletic and activity facilities at all three district high schools; and a second early childhood center, located within the now-closed Paradise Park facility.

The new early childhood center is scheduled to open in fall 2023.

For more information about the Lee’s Summit High School renovation and other district bond projects, visit this webpage.