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Less than a week after classes ended for the 2018-19 school year on May 17, construction ramped up inside the Luverne Middle-High School building.
Joel Bornhoft, ICS project manager, updated Luverne School Board members Thursday night, May 23, on the construction progress, including some surprises during demolition and additions to this summer’s construction schedule.
On May 17 faculty packed up classroom materials from both floors of the middle-high school west wing and moved them to another location within the building.
Faculty and custodial staff also cleared the existing band and choir rooms and emptied the biology and chemistry rooms.
“It was probably the smoothest move-out I have ever seen,” said site superintendent David Mulert. “They got everything out and everything done that we asked.”
Demolition of the current band and choir rooms was added to this summer’s schedule to help with next year’s project timeline.
“We can hopefully use that space once it is completed as a transaction or transitional area (for other programs displaced during construction),” Bornhoft said.
Construction to convert the former auditorium into the new band and choir suites is expected to be finished by Sept. 16, when the 2019-20 school year is set to begin.
School days were a half hour longer the past year and will be the next school year as well to accommodate a longer summer for construction.
Bornhoft said since work began in the former auditorium in early March, all the theater walls have been removed, the sloped floor leveled and the new concrete floor will be complete next week.
“That’s coming along pretty well,” he said.
Demolition crews ran into delays last week in the west wing when asbestos was found in the mastic holding the marker boards onto the classroom walls.
To save on time and cost, workers removed the walls between classrooms, abating the affected slate bricks containing the mastic.
Estimated cost is between $4,000 and $5,000 with 12 walls expected to need building.
“By taking the wall out and by building a brand new wall, new electrical in the wall, you end up with a better, finished product,” Bornhoft said.
Demolition of the breezeway between the elementary and middle-high school and the eight classrooms in the two-story west wing is expected to begin in early June.
The demolition makes room for the new commons and performing arts center in the center of the campus.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June 20.
In other business, board members:
•extended hiring contracts to elementary teacher Monica Edstrom for a salary of $39,422, and to instrumental music teacher James Jarvie for $53,762 along with a 20-day summer marching band contract of $5,453.
•hired Sarah DeBeer as head volleyball coach and Jon Beers, head girls’ tennis coach.
•granted retirement requests from paraprofessional Cindy Reu, elementary music teacher Shirlee Gilmore and elementary teacher Heidi Schacht.
•accepted resignations from physical education teacher Caylee Tennis, and paraprofessionals Karin Moser, Stephanie Roozenboom and Joanna Stroeh.
•approved maternity requests from elementary teacher Brooke Van Essen, beginning the 2019-20 school year until Oct. 24, and to elementary teacher Alicia Reker, beginning the 2019-20 school year until Sept. 28.
•rescheduled their June 27 regular monthly meeting to June 20. Community input begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the 7 p.m. meeting.