September Superintendent Message
USD 434 continues improvements to high school
Enhancements to current building complete, new facilities under way
As the dust settles after the whirlwind first weeks of school, you should start to see the results of a busy summer of construction – and you can start to get geared up for exciting, new projects on the horizon.
First and foremost, we are working to finalize the plans for the new Fine Arts building (with separate facilities for band and choir) and the stand-alone auxiliary gymnasium.
These projects are being funded through the $4.6 million bond issue you approved back in April.
Over the next month, the design work and construction documentation will be complete and go to contractors for bidding. The bidding is expected to take approximately 30 days.
We anticipate having the contractors selected and the construction of the facilities beginning around the end of November or first of December.
When completed, the new Fine Arts building will seat 500 people, and provide space for 120 band members and 60 choir members. This and the new auxiliary gym will alleviate the strain on our current facilities and eliminate the overcrowding issues in the Commons area for these and other after-school programs.
While these projects are still in the beginning stages, over the summer, construction crews put the finishing touches on the Santa Fe Trail High School remodel project.
Students are now enjoying the newly refurbished art, and Family and Consumer Science (home economics) rooms. When you get a moment, you should stop by the high school to check them out.
And we were not just making improvements inside the high school building. We also installed a new base and laid new asphalt for the high school track.
Future plans include the placement of new rubber on the track. However, this project will be put on hold for a few years, as we continue to evaluate how and when it can be completed, based on the resources that are available.
These projects and many others over the past two years are part of our continued commitment to providing high-quality facilities for our staff and students.