New construction starts

LEVEL. Removing dirt, construction crews operate heavy equipment to prepare the ground for the new administrative and transportation facilities. Completion of the facilities should be complete during the summer of 2022.

Image courtesy District PR Director Stephanie Smith

LEVEL. Removing dirt, construction crews operate heavy equipment to prepare the ground for the new administrative and transportation facilities. Completion of the facilities should be complete during the summer of 2022.

Story by Aurora Spriggs, Co-Editor

Designs and layout for a new transportation/maintenance/District Office building was discussed and approved in April 2021. During the phase, the architect and construction manager prepared the project for bid. Grading and utility work began in the fall for the new transportation, maintenance, and district office building. According to Dr. Jason Snodgrass the board has accepted the bids for the new offices and accepted a bid to include additional space to house the district’s technology department.

“The three buildings we are replacing are in really poor condition, whenever we build this new building, there will also be more parking spaces for the buildings which will also help with traffic flow,” Dr. Snodgrass said.

Parking lot and drive improvements should be done the summer of 2022, along with beginning the construction for the new gym at the high school. The kitchens at Blue Hills, Fire Prairie, Buckner and Osage Trail are being designed. Mr. Branden Tucker wants more space for traffic and parking on the campus because of how hectic it gets while leaving school. 

“The facilities building has outgrown its space, we needed bigger space and want to be able to get all of our equipment inside. Getting those three buildings off of campus will also help with traffic especially for after school with the high schoolers and buses,” Mr. Tucker said. 

Work on the kitchens at Cler-Mont, Elm Grove, Indian Trails and the high school will be done in the summer of 2023. The designs for the new gym at the high school have continued, and work will begin in the summer of 2022 and be completed in the summer of 2023. During winter of 2021, Construction begins for the new transportation, maintenance, and district office building.

During summer of 2022, Construction for new transportation, maintenance and district office building should be completed. Kitchen renovations for Blue Hills, Buckner, Fire Prairie and OTMS should begin after the construction for the new building is completed, which is planned for the summer of 2022. Dr. Snodgrass wanted a new building to also help with the employees, to get more restrooms and other primary sources they need.

“The existing buildings we have, really do not accommodate all the employees and all the people who use the existing buildings. There will be more restrooms and more meeting space for the employees as well as it overall being safer for everybody,” Dr. Snodgrass said. 

Work for the new Gym at the high school will start the summer of 2022 and be completed by the end of summer 2022.

The design for band renovation will continue and the work will begin in the summer of 2023.

Depending on the weather conditions, all construction and renovations should be completed by the end of the summer of 2023.