The South Washington County School Board reviewed construction updates for three elementary schools and discussed policy changes during its workshop meeting Wednesday.

Construction teams provided updates on Phase 2 bond projects at Greycloud, Bailey, and Pine Hill elementary schools. All three projects are scheduled to begin construction in summer 2026 and complete by summer 2027, according to presentations by architects from W Architects and Koma Architect. The projects include classroom additions, gymnasium expansions, and storm shelter requirements mandated by code.

At Greycloud Elementary, the $835-student capacity expansion will include renovating existing classroom pods and adding special education classrooms. Bailey Elementary will receive two new kindergarten classrooms and renovations to create a fifth-grade commons area. Pine Hill Elementary's six-classroom addition will connect to the existing media center and include flexible learning spaces designed around a pine tree theme.

The board also discussed revising procedures for public comments during meetings. After debate, members reached consensus to resume live streaming public comment portions of meetings, reversing a previous decision. The change includes provisions for protecting student privacy and the ability to edit recordings if inappropriate content occurs.

Business Services Director Chris Blackmer presented preliminary information about the 2026 tax levy process. The board will consider the preliminary levy at its September 18 meeting, with final approval scheduled for December following a truth and taxation hearing.