The Board, facilities and administrative team, and I have been heavily focused on planning the various details of the bond facilities project project. While many of these details remain subject to change, I’d give an update regarding our current expectations as we prepare for the exciting improvements coming to our campus.
Below is a tentative timeline of the project components as they are currently estimated. This time frame will become more solidified as the floor plans become finalized and the bids for the various aspects of the project are submitted and approved:
The Elementary partition walls with doors (grades 1-4) replacements, are projected for this coming Summer of 2026. As part of this summer project, we will also replace the carpet in those rooms.
New construction for the Preschool, Career & Technical Education, and Art additions is estimated for May 2026 through August 2027.
New construction for the New Gym, Commons, Weight Room, and Concessions is estimated for May 2026 through December 2027.
Secure Entry and Office renovations for the Elementary, and District and High School secure entrances, along with the south Activities Entry renovation, are estimated for May 2027 through August 2027.
Renovations for the Music Rooms and the existing Career & Technical Education are estimated for May 2027 through August 2027.
Renovations for Auditorium and Locker Rooms are estimated for January 2028 through August 2028.
Renovations for the Elementary Teacher Work area, expanded Kindergarten, and Family Consumer Science are estimated for May 2028 through August 2028.
As it pertains to financing for the project, the bond sale for the bond-financed portion of the project has been approved. The sale resulted in a yield equivalent to an interest rate of 3.76%. As part of this financial planning process, we met with local banks and brokers to ensure they had the ability to purchase bonds prior to them being sold on the open market. The remaining lease-purchase portion of the financing will be issued later this year or early next year. Additionally, to maximize our resources, we are actively applying for a variety of grants to help purchase the materials for the Family Consumer Science room, the clean lab meat processing area, the greenhouse, and other spaces.
We have begun to see activity on some of these initiatives. We moved on ordering the new greenhouse right away. Its foundation has already been poured and, pending the arrival of backordered materials, we hope that it can be installed before the end of the school year. Trees around campus have been removed to create space for parking, driveway, and structural expansion. For our new structural additions, the design process is moving forward smoothly. One notable detail for the new gym and commons area floor plans includes window sections separating the commons area from the gym, creating an open concept. We anticipate groundbreaking to be sometime in May or early summer.
As we finalize designs and prepare to break ground, keeping our students, staff, and visitors safe remains our highest priority. To that end, we will explore options to fence off construction zones to help keep students and visitors away from any areas of danger. New construction will also require us to make temporary adjustments to our outdoor recess routines. During construction, the temporary playground site will be located safely away from the work zones. Please be aware that during that year, the available play structures will be fairly minimal, but students will be provided a large amount of space to exercise and play on the current football practice field.
With a project of this scale, there are many operational details being sorted out. We are provided for the sale of decommissioned items and equipment that will no longer be used at the school, but may still have value for community members. The recent sale of the existing greenhouse to a community member through sealed bids, is an example of this.
We are committed to keeping you informed, and we will regularly communicate new information regarding matters affecting safety and logistics as it becomes available to us. As always, if you ever have questions or things you’d like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I can be contacted in my office in person, by phone at (402) 683-2015, or by email at brian.rottinghaus@tricountyschools.org.