Newton USD 373 is a public unified school district headquartered in Newton, Kansas, United States. The district includes the communities of Newton, North Newton, Walton, McLain and nearby rural areas. USD 373 is the largest employer in Newton and the second largest employer in Harvey County.

The Newton School District needed to address a wide array of facility repairs and improvements, including the replacement of several major pieces of heating/cooling/ventilation equipment, water fixtures, hot water systems, and various other items. Rather than using a bond issue to ask local taxpayers for additional money, the District first turned to ESP to determine if there were energy or operational savings opportunities that could potentially fund some of the improvements.

ESP and the District devised a phased approach aimed at minimizing financial impacts on the district while ensuring crucial work was completed during the summer to avoid disruptions to school activities. Phase one involved the installation of LED lighting throughout the District. The savings from this phase, combined with ESSER II funds and a KDHE grant, enabled upgrades to water-saving plumbing fixtures, building envelope improvements, HVAC and retro-commissioning, as well as enhanced building controls. These accrued savings are positioning the project for Phase 3, which will be funded through prior savings and ESSER III funds. This phase will encompass upgrades to the heating hot water system, VAV replacements, and improvements to building controls, specifically targeting the high school.

By implementing the energy-saving improvements, the District was able to use utility savings and existing budget dollars to pay for the improvements over time rather than turning to the community for tax money. The upgrades have created a better learning and teaching environment for students and staff.