by April Scheinoha
Reporter
Marshall County Central Schools celebrated the start of its building project Wednesday, May 17.
MCC High School student Kaydence Augustine sang the national anthem, and the MCC High School Pep Band performed. Besides partaking in the historic moment, the students also had an opportunity to eat some ice cream sandwiches.
On Aug. 9, 2022, MCC voters passed an $18.9 million building referendum to add needed space onto Viking Elementary School and MCC High School. The entire project is budgeted to cost $20 million, which includes a contingency in the event of any unexpected costs. The remainder of the project will be covered by a bond premium earned from the sale of bonds and interest earned on the project funds until those funds are needed for the project.
“We haven’t had a building addition for almost 30 years, so this type of thing doesn’t happen very often, and it’s pretty exciting for a small town – a small community – like ours,” said Superintendent Jeffrey Lund.
As part of the project, the Viking Elementary School office will be expanded and the school will also feature an addition to add kitchen storage, a staff restroom, and a music room. Also related to the project, there will be some remodeled/rearranged spaces for a library, special education space, a larger staff lunch room, and a nurses office.
“At the high school here, where some of you are standing, we’re going to add five new classrooms – four for fifth and sixth grade and a multipurpose room for anyone to use, and then there will be additional bathrooms,” said Lund. “And then to the north, there will be a second gymnasium, a cafeteria and a weight room that can fit a whole team or a whole gym class.”
The project will also address some safety problems. Currently, Newfolden Elementary School students have to cross the street for music and library classes. MCC High School students have to cross the street to go to breakfast and lunch.
In addition, Lund said, “There will be more parking, and it will give us plenty of space hopefully for the next 30 years and beyond.”
Construction has already started at Viking Elementary School, where an old fuel tank has been removed. A construction crew is getting things ready to prepare for a foundation for the new music room, Lund said. The music room is expected to be ready when students return from Christmas break.
Once the school year ends this year, work will begin on the new office addition. The office is expected to be finished in time for the start of the 2023-24 school year.
Starting next week, fencing will be erected around MCC High School. A crew will begin working on the north end. This summer, a new parking lot will be constructed at Newfolden Elementary School. The basketball court will also be repaved there.
This summer, the loop will be reconstructed outside of MCC High School. A crew will also begin some of the work on the new parking lot to the east of that school.
The high school cafeteria, commons, secondary gym, weight room, and five classrooms will be completed and ready to open in fall 2024.
MCC School Board Chairperson Mark Knutson noted the important reason why the district is embarking on such a project. “History is constantly being written. This building today is the history of tomorrow,” Knutson said. He added that it will be the history of each community member, staff member and student, but the students are the most important part of that history.
Garrett Barth, a Newfolden Elementary School student, is a part of that history and future. Two years ago, Barth raised money for the building project by selling sandwiches at a stand in Thief River Falls. His dad, Ryan, promised to match the amount he raised. They donated more than $900.
Barth is one student who helps make MCC Schools the community it is. Craig Bakke, a school board member, said, “We can build buildings. We can build structures, but that’s what they are – just structures. What makes a school a school, what makes a community a community is the people involved and the people that put their blood, their sweat and their tears into these buildings.”
Bakke went on to note that the future of education is anyone’s guess, but the district wants to help every student be successful no matter their career path.
It has been a challenging path for the district to get to this point. In August 2021, district voters rejected another referendum that would have replaced Newfolden Elementary School with an addition onto the high school. That referendum, which failed by 28 votes, would have also included improvements to Viking Elementary School.
Alluding to the opposition, Bakke said there is opposition sometimes, but it is good to challenge each because it may be dangerous to always agree. He said compromising is what makes a school work.