by April Scheinoha
Reporter
Roseau Community School students and staff will soon receive a holiday gift. It is anticipated that Phase 2 of the district’s two-year construction project may be completed before the holiday break.
“We are so excited about the new and improved learning environment that we have, so appreciative of the amazing community support, and this project is going to impact today’s students and generations to come,” said Superintendent Tom Jerome.
The district is in the midst of a project entailing light remodeling, heavy remodeling and new construction at the school, which serves elementary through high school students. The project envelops a total of about 125,600 square feet, which includes about 65,600 square feet of new construction. Totalling about $42 million, two referendums are covering the cost of the project. Both referendums were overwhelmingly supported in the midst of the pandemic.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held July 16, 2020, for the project. Phase 1 began shortly thereafter and was completed earlier this year.
Phase 1 featured heavy remodeling and new construction. All remodeling started from scratch since the existing space was stripped completely down to the outer shell of the building. Phase 1 included a new gym, and new classrooms for English, foreign languages, social studies and health. It also featured some special education resource rooms. More space is now available for independent, flexible learning in hallways three times wider than traditional school hallways.
A new elementary office and entrance were also constructed as part of Phase 1. In addition, parents now have the pleasure of picking up and dropping off their students at a new, improved drop-off area. Phase 1 was completed earlier this year, and students and staff have already moved into those areas of the building.
Phase 2 started earlier this year. It will feature new construction, heavy remodeling and light reconstruction. After Phase 2 is completed, high school students will have new space for career and technical education, including machining, welding, drafting and woodworking. A new multipurpose room/gym, new math classrooms, and a new music suite for band and choir are also on tap. The high school will also boast new offices and a new entrance.
In the meantime, the math classes are meeting in rooms previously occupied by social studies teachers. The teachers moved into their new area after Phase 1 was completed. Old English classrooms are housing some career and technical education classes as well as the high school office and the counselor’s office. Some special education classes are housed in old social studies classrooms while the remaining special education classes moved into their remodeled classrooms.