Godwin Heights — Walking through the middle school, Principal Chad Conklin rattles off the improvements that have been made in the 93-year-old building.
There is new carpet in the hallway and classrooms, new windows throughout the building, new exterior doors, and a new heating and cooling system.
“Oh, the lights are all new which helps to make the halls much brighter,” Conklin said. “I guess it is a good thing we are walking around because I keep remembering things.”
The middle school improvements are the last phase of a $13.9 million bond issue approved by voters in 2020.
Estimated to take two years, the 2020 bond included projects throughout the district such as roofing assessments and possible repairs; a new boiler; improved heating and cooling controls; new carpeting, doors, and windows; new vans and buses; renovations at the track and baseball field; new band instruments; and student technology upgrades.
“When you make an investment in the buildings you can see the students making a returning investment by taking care of the building as well as their own learning,” Conklin said.
The Final Pieces
Perhaps the middle school’s most notable improvement is that of the bathrooms. All were remodeled with new flooring, sinks, toilets and stalls.
“The doors were designed to be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant with the doors widened,” Conklin said. To accomplish this, the doors to some bathrooms had to be moved. “At the start of school, the students had to get used to where the doors are,” he noted.
Another area that was extensively remodeled was the boys and girls locker rooms located in the gym area. These areas received new flooring, sinks, toilets, and showers. The locker bases have been recovered as well.
The last piece is new lockers for the area, which due to supply chain issues the district is still waiting for, Conklin said, adding, “Once the lockers are in, it will complete the bond.”
