The Luverne School Board will host a public open house Sunday to showcase the district’s completed construction.
Self-guided tours will be from 2 to 5 p.m. “I am extremely proud of the project,” Superintendent Craig Oftedahl said.
“The Board of Education had wonderful vision and did things right. They produced a really classy facility that allows our staff to be extremely functional for the demands of today’s educational standards.”
Some statistics from the project:
•The 65-year-old middle-high school is now larger, growing by 41,170 square feet to a new size of 417,670 square feet.
•The new areas include six additional classrooms in the middle school wing, a new student commons and a new performing arts center (PAC).
•Remodeling encompassed 200,000 square feet, 2,100 gallons of paint, 1,500 electrical receptacles, 66 miles of wire, 30 miles of data cable and fiber and 65 new electrical panels.
•Crews hauled 1,400 loads of rubbish, dirt or fill hauled in or out.
“The new commons and kitchen are spectacular,” Oftedahl added.
“The performing arts center is state of the art and absolutely beautiful. The administration did a nice job creating collaborative space and the use of furniture in helping with 21st Century learning, and the secure entrances and more cameras across the campus will aid in our safety and security protocols.”
Project sparked by a basement tour
The project began in 2016, when board members reviewed the long-term facility plan that’s filed annually with the state education department outlining upcoming improvement projects.
Oftedahl toured board members through the basement kitchen and cafeteria.
Katie Baustian, Reva Sehr and Eric Hartman are current members still on the seven-member board.
“We all had our eyes opened as far as the needed update,” recalled Baustian, who served as board chairman in 2016.
A new first-floor commons and kitchen led the list of five long-term goals. The other goals included improved safety and security, collaborative learning space, remodel and right-sized rooms to meet 21st century standards and celebrate music and fine arts.
In 2016, the district was within two years of paying off the elementary school, built in 1999. Board members saw an opportunity to continue investing in the district through another possible bond referendum.
“Safety was such a priority,” Sehr said. “Items such as door locks, security camera and an updated intercom system were very much needed. We also needed to get our school’s technical infrastructure updated as well so we could use technology more in the classroom.”
Current Board Chairman Eric Hartman said conversations centered around the growing list of the number of capital improvements that far outweighed what money the district levies annually for its facilities plan.
“With the (elementary building) bond payoff coming soon, I know my initial thoughts were to roll a number of these capital improvement projects and upgrades into one major project — funded through a new bond — which would start immediately after the prior one was paid off,” Hartman said.
The board was able to levy $8 million for infrastructure and HVAC improvements.
Voters approved a $16 million bond to remodel and add square footage to the middle-high school.
In a second question, voters also approved the proposed $7 million bond for a performing arts center.
Project took 30 months
After the $31 million project was rebid, construction began in the former Little Theatre in March 2019.
“The students have been great throughout the process,” Oftedahl said. “Not only did they assist with the input of the building, they endured the noise and debris from construction.”
Staff often moved and packed their classrooms several times as the remodeling project progressed through the building.
When the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 forced students and staff to learn at home, construction staff continued to move forward with the remodeling.
A few items remain to be finished including patching the original terrazzo flooring.
Of the $31 million budget, $29,771,784 has been spent.
“My hope is that people walk away from the open house with a high level of satisfaction in knowing we worked hard to spend taxpayer dollars on the right things,” Oftedahl said.
“I want people to be proud of the school, as I feel it is one of the crown jewels of the community.”