Facilities projects move forward

Jun. 18—OTTUMWA — With summer vacation in full swing, the Ottumwa Community School District is in the midst of a multi-million dollar investment into its facilities.

"It's incredible what we have going on right now," Superintendent Mike McGrory told the school board this week. Four elementaries — Wilson, Horace Mann, Eisenhower and James — have been completely emptied for extensive remodels. All four of those buildings, McGrory said, were cleared within five or six days.

"Our custodians, Lindsey [Beinheart, maintenance director] and the maintenance group have all just done a wonderful job," he said.

"Everyone in the district worked extremely hard to get all furnishings removed from our four north-side elementary buildings in record time," Beinhart said in a release from the district.

In McGrory's update to the board, he said each classroom will be getting new lighting, new painting, new flooring and new furniture. He also noted that at James, the district has found "creative" ways to enclose the classrooms and increase storage space for teachers.

The release from the district broke down this week's progress on a building-by-building basis:

—Eishenower: Ceiling demolition has been completed and carpet removal has begun. Addition projects for the Sumer include new drop ceilings, new LED lighting, painting and flooring.

—Horace Mann: Demolition of the chimney has been completed and lowered to prevent future water damage to the roof. Drop ceilings and lighting have also been removed, and the entire building is receiving a fresh coat of paint.

—James: New LED lighting has been installed through most of the building, and workers are replacing the roof. Room dividers are getting a face lift with new coverings.

—Wilson: Carpeting is being removed from the classrooms.

"Right now, we feel really good about meeting that deadline" for work to be completed by the start of the school work, McGrory said at the board meeting.

The elementaries aren't the only buildings having work done. Renovations have begun at the new Career Campus in the former Market on Main building. Work this week included completed the painting of the ceiling, and work continues on framing walls or future classrooms and meeting spaces, according to the district release. The concrete floors have also been worked on, and the exterior has been power-washed with tuck pointing scheduled. McGrory told the board that that work will be followed by painting, set to begin soon.

"I'm really impressed with how that project's going, how far along we are with that project, and I'm really excited that right now we're on time with that project," he said.

The board also received updated enrollment numbers for the Career Campus offerings. A total of 424 students are enrolled in classes for 2021-22, with 226 in the Business Career Academy. The Health Sciences Academy has 53, Culinary/Hospitality Academy 73, Computer Science Academy 25, and English for Real Life (Business Communications) 47.

Additionally, 2021-22 enrollment has nearly 1,400 students enrolled in career academy classes at Ottumwa High School. Family Consumer Sciences has 492 enrolled, the Business Career Academy 117, metals/manufacturing/welding 218, construction trades 258 with 24 in home construction with Indian Hills Community College, automotive technology is at 191, and engineering/CAAD with 121.

McGrory told the board the the current construction trades home is close to being put on the market. He expects that to happen by the end of the month.

Elsewhere in the district, he said the addition at Pickwick Early Childhood Education Center is nearing completion and is still projected to be complete by Aug. 1 with all the furniture ordered. "It just looks amazing," he said, noting that if the board is interested, a future board meeting in July or August could be held there.

At Evans Middle School, the bleachers in the gym have been removed with new LED lighting nearly complete, according to the district's release. Carpet has also been removed in the sixth-grade wing.

And, at OHS, the release says that demolition of the dropped ceilings and lighting in the vocational annex is complete. The weight room has also had its lighting and floor removed, and vape detectors are to be installed this month.

All of these projects are part of the $13 million the district is investing into its facilities over two years. McGrory said the breakdown of projects, with expected completion dates, the board was given also includes items that won't be completed this summer but will be done throughout the school year. He also said parents and staff will be sent something similar. "We want people to know when they see this that there's a lot going on during the school year and also next summer.

Brian Jones, a member of the school board, has been to both the Career Campus and OHS weight room recently and liked what he saw. "I was very impressed with what's going on down there, the way the contractors are all working together, with Lindsey, the way things are going," he said. "Seeing some of our staff step out of the box to do stuff they usually don't do. It's amazing the stuff they're doing that they don't normally do on a day-to-day basis. They're just stepping up and doing it and making our timelines go a lot better for everything."

Board member Nancy Manson asked if it might be possible to tour the elementaries and construction trades home at some point. "We all saw the before. It would be nice to be able to see them at the after," she said. "Sometime it would be nice to be able to go through the house that's for sale and to go through Horace Mann and Wilson and James and see all of the changes."

McGrory agreed to that. "One of my favorite things this summer has been going through all those buildings constantly," he said. "It changes everyday."

— Features Editor Tracy Goldizen can be reached via email at tgoldizen@ottumwacourier.com or followed on Twitter @CourierTracy.