Facts About the USD 251 Bond
Learn about the USD 251 Bond, one fact at a time! These facts are posted to our Facebook page first, so follow us there for the most up-to-date facts and information!
Sharon VanGundy – USD 251 Alum & Retired Teacher
One Community. Generations of Memories. A Future Worth Investing In.
For Sharon VanGundy, USD 251 has never been just a school district. It’s where her story began, where she raised her family, where she spent decades teaching, and where lifelong friendships continue to connect generations.
Sharon began her school journey at Admire Grade School in 1963 and graduated from Northern Heights in 1975. She experienced firsthand what it meant for schools and communities to come together. While change wasn’t always easy at first, students quickly made new friends and discovered the value of coming together.
In 1976, Sharon married her high school sweetheart, Mike VanGundy, and together they raised five children who also attended USD 251. After graduating from Emporia State University, she began teaching kindergarten in Americus in 1979. Throughout her career, she returned to the classroom several times, teaching kindergarten through fifth grade and building lasting relationships with students and families.
Even after retirement, Sharon’s heart has remained with USD 251. She loves seeing former students grow up, raise their own families, and continue calling this district home. Today, she enjoys attending her grandchildren’s activities and watching those connections continue into another generation.
Sharon has watched USD 251 face challenges, bring communities together, and find ways to move forward. She remembers the friendships and memories made at track meets, basketball games, football games, and other school activities. Those experiences created connections that reached far beyond the classroom and continue to bring families together today.
As Sharon shared, she can think of nothing more important to invest in than the children who live in this district.
Schools are about so much more than buildings. They are about the friendships we make, the people who shape our lives, and the communities we build together. It’s about every child who calls USD 251 home and the opportunities we create for generations to come.
Thank you, Sharon, for sharing your story and for the many years you’ve invested in USD 251 students and families. Your story reminds us that when we invest in our schools, we invest in our children, our communities, and our future.
Don’t Let Voting Deadlines Sneak Up on You!
Election Day is getting closer, and we’re in the home stretch!
If you plan to vote by mail, remember that TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, is the deadline to request your advance ballot. Don’t let the deadline sneak up on you!
We’re almost there, North Lyon County! Make a plan, make your voice heard, and be part of the future of USD 251.
Not just for today. Not just for one community. For the future of USD 251.
Not Just for Today. Not Just for One Town. For Every Child.
Let’s remember why we started.
We are doing this for the kids. We are doing this for the future of North Lyon County. And we are doing this for all students in USD 251, not just certain students in certain towns.
Every student in our district deserves opportunities to learn, grow, compete, perform, and discover what they are capable of. No matter which community they call home, they are part of USD 251, and their future matters.
This isn’t just about what we need today. It’s about what our students will need tomorrow, what opportunities we want them to have, and what kind of future we want to build for North Lyon County.
This isn’t just about one town. It’s about all of USD 251, the communities we serve, and the students who will carry those communities forward. Our students may live in different towns, but they share a district and a future. The decisions we make today will impact them for years to come.
We may not all agree on every detail, and we all have concerns worth considering. But I hope we can step back and remember the bigger picture. This is about more than buildings. It’s about opportunities, experiences, and investing in the next generation of USD 251 students.
Not just for today. Not just for one town. For all of USD 251. For the future of North Lyon County.
A LEGACY WORTH LISTENING TO (WATCH)
Hear from Don Duncan, retired Northern Heights principal, as he shares his perspective on the future of USD 251.
Watch his story. Hear his perspective.
Our schools, our future.
Sponsored by USD 251 Together, Nancy Wells Treasure
This Is Bigger Than a Building
When we talk about the future of USD 251, we’re talking about more than classrooms, hallways, and athletic facilities.
We’re talking about the little kids who will grow up in these schools, the students who deserve opportunities to discover what they’re good at, the families who fill our gymnasiums, and the communities that come together to support them.
We’re talking about the memories made, the friendships built, the lessons learned, and the opportunities that help shape who our kids become.
Our schools are part of what makes our communities what they are. And the decisions we make today will affect the students and families who come after us.
We know people have questions and concerns about the November 3 bond. We respect that this is a big decision, and we encourage everyone to learn the facts, ask questions, and make an informed decision.
On November 3, our community has an opportunity to help shape the future of USD 251. We encourage every registered voter to make a plan to vote and make their voice heard. Take time to learn what’s being proposed, talk with your neighbors, read through the facts posted on this website, and decide what you believe is best for the future of our schools and communities.
Our kids are growing up here. Their futures are being shaped here. And the choices we make today will matter long after this election is over.
Investing in Our Kids
What if you could actually SEE where your tax dollars are going?
We know one of the biggest concerns surrounding the USD 251 bond is the impact on property taxes. We understand that concern. Every dollar matters, and this is not a small decision.
But this is one of those investments you won’t just read about on a tax statement. You’ll be able to walk through it, sit in it, and watch our North Lyon kids experience it.
You’ll walk the halls of a school your tax dollars helped build. You’ll sit in the stands at an athletic complex you helped pay for. You’ll watch our students perform in musical programs in a gym you helped make possible.
You’ll see those spaces filled with students learning, growing, making memories, and building their futures right here in our communities.
We know the cost matters. But so does what we’re investing in.
One day, this investment won’t just be a number on a tax statement.
It’ll be the school our North Lyon students walk into, the performances you watch, and the memories our kids make.
That’s what investing in our kids and our communities can look like.
BUSY ON NOVEMBER 3RD? VOTE TODAY!
Think you’ll be busy on Election Day? Today is your LAST chance to take advantage of off-site advance voting with Lyon County election staff on hand!
Anderson Building in Emporia
Today, 9 AM to 1 PM
After today, advance voting will move to the Lyon County Clerk’s Office inside the Lyon County Courthouse, beginning Monday during regular business hours.
Don’t wait until Election Day! Make your plan to vote and make your voice heard! 
Alumni Spotlight: Kiley DeDonder (Watch)
As a proud USD 251 alum, Kiley Dedonder is a product of the very schools she’s ready to invest in. She knows firsthand that our schools are about more than buildings. They create opportunities for students and build a stronger future for our entire community. Hear from Kiley on why now is the moment to invest in our students and keep moving forward.