The walls are going up.
Community members can now see outdoor, above-ground evidence of Yuma School District-1’s $32 million expansion/renovation project.
The pre-cast panels for the auxiliary gym wall at Yuma High School were being put up by a huge crane starting Wednesday.
The Yuma-1 Board of Education was informed of that development during its regular monthly meeting, Monday night.
Owner’s representative Chad Rayl of Project One provided an update to the board, Monday night, along with Abby Collins of the project’s design/build firm Neenan Archistruction.
Besides the gym walls, Rayl said prep work was being done for the new electrical and boiler rooms to be located on the west side of the high school.
Yuma Middle School, as well as the rest of that campus, has several relatively-minor projects being completed this summer. Rayl said the rooftop HVAC unit for the junior high YMS wing has been installed, the drywall work is finishing up, and the carpet will arrive soon for installation. The bus loop along the west side of the campus is coming along, and there has been some landscaping and sprinkler irrigation work done in the Morris Elementary and Little Indians area.
Collins of Neenan, who participated via phone call, took the board and others in attendance on a virtual tour of the soon-to-be expanded and remodeled YHS.
A key point in the presentation was highlighting areas recognizing various achievements by students. For instance, an entrance to the new ag education building includes an area for a FFA Hall of Fame, awards and such.
Another area near the main entrance will be an area for the Academic Achievement Hall of Fame. There will be display areas by the art and music rooms as well. And, of course, there will be athletic achievement display areas as well.
The virtual tour showcased “breakout” areas outside of classrooms, which will be treated as an extension of the classrooms where students can meet and work. There also will be a senior locker area that will be kind of off on its own, giving seniors their own special space.
All in all, the tour shows a very attractive and education-friendly remodeled and expanded YHS.
Superintendent Dianna Chrisman explained to the board that the planning still is not completed, so the drawings and virtual tour is not at its final point yet.
She said when it is completed and polished, it can go on the district website, and the project’s Facebook page for the public.
Neenan also is continuing to work with contractors hammering out the final details and numbers for the project’s last phase, which is the new wing and remodeling of YHS.
A final guaranteed maximum price is expected to be presented to the board for approval around the time the school year starts.
