Board tours school as construction continues
The Springfield School board heard an update from Superintendent Keith Kottke about the school building project during last Wednesday’s regular school board meeting. After the meeting the board toured the elementary school to see the progress on the project.
“A lot of work has happened over the past few weeks,” said Kottke. Most of the items which they are currently working on are highly important, but more behind the scenes. This work includes plumbing, electrical, ductwork, adding HVAC to the elementary, cafeteria, and high school gymnasium.
“Some things are going to be completed and some things are not going to be completed by the start of school,” explained Kottke.
The vast majority of the elementary classrooms were completed during the walkthrough and many teachers have already been in their classrooms preparing for the upcoming school year. One new safety feature in the classrooms are new fire alarms which will light up and speak in an emergency. There are plans to complete the final few classrooms before the beginning of school.
The school board was also able to view the new expanded cafeteria. Workers had begun laying new grey plank-styled flooring in the space last Wednesday. While all the cafeteria stations may not be complete by the start of school, they do plan on having the cafeteria ready to serve meals to incoming students by the start of school.
A few things that won’t be complete is the grid work (acoustical ceiling panels) in the hallway that connects the elementary gym to the cafeteria.
“The reason for that is we have to go back in there and do some work for the next phase,” explained Kottke. He further explained that the corridor which connects the elementary to the new addition will have to stay as it is for a while. They currently have plywood covering at the end of the corridor which is the best they can do to control the dust from the work that is going on the other side.
See complete story in this week's issue of the Springfield Advance-Press.