Welcome to the New High School Update Page:
Latest Update from Mr. Kinderman:
It was April 3rd, 2007, a fairly cold, snowy evening, when word was passed that the sun would shine on a new Spooner High School. It’s hard to believe that here we are, a little over two years later and we will be moving into that new school in less than one month! Definitely it’s time for an update on this beautiful facility.
I’ve taken hundreds of people on tours since one year ago after groundbreaking and even after being in the new building almost daily, it is still hard for me to believe the incredible facility you have provided for our students and community for generations to come. Let’s take a quick tour.
Turning in off of Highway A, you’ll see a lot of blacktop and concrete activity taking place both in the parking lots and entrances to the school as well as by the track/athletic fields. You’ll immediately see that most of the exterior finishes are complete and topsoil has been spread and is prepared for grass seed. Going through the main entrances on the north side, you will enter a vestibule which will have many of the dedication tiles mounted on the wall denoting families, businesses and individuals’ support of the Spooner Education Foundation and Spooner Schools. Entering the school, you step right into our student commons which is where our students will have meals and meet with classmates. The flooring in this area is a terrazzo floor which is like the floor in our existing high school. This type of floor was chosen because it will never have to be replaced and will be most cost effective in this high-use area. As you go into the office areas you’ll find most of the finished surfaces in place, cabinets in and ready for furniture to be delivered early in June.
Passing through the corridors you’ll see rows of beautiful new, sturdy lockers waiting for the first book bags and coats. Every student will have their own locker, just as in the commons there will be seats for everyone with no longer the need to sit in the hallway floors during lunch time. Now with the ceilings in, as you walk these corridors you don’t see the miles of technology cables strung neatly in wire baskets ready to handle our technology of today, as well as, tomorrow.
Entering any of the classrooms, you’ll find most of them almost completed. You’ll first notice the lights that are motion censored as you enter or exit a room. This is to save energy and money when the rooms are unoccupied. You’ll see the use of natural light in all classrooms and wall colors selected to create a pleasant learning environment. Just as the classrooms are about ready to go, so are the computer labs in various locations as they await furniture, computers and students.
While every aspect of this facility is great, there are some of those jaw-droppers. First of these is the Media Center. Tall ceilings, natural lighting, and spacious are just some of the immediate descriptions. These are also just awaiting carpeting and furniture.
The science labs are really something to see. The days of a teacher hauling a 5 gallon bucket of water through the hallway is done. These classroom/labs are complete with stations that provide for all necessary functions as well as adequate, safe space not currently available. Mr. Flynn will be able to conduct chemistry experiments that previously were not possible; Mr. Hungerbuhler has a Physics lab designed for that purpose and Mr. James Sundeen and Mr. Mark Sundeen will step into Science and Biology labs where water will be tested and frogs dissected for years to come. The Vocational Agriculture classroom, while nice itself, has an attached greenhouse that is up and getting ready to go. The rest of the vocational labs and classrooms served as a storage area the past months but are now beginning to be outfitted for woods, mechanics, electrical, machine shop and welding education. Also quite impressive is the F.A.C.E. (Home Ec.) lab and classroom that, in addition to regular classes, will serve our community education classes with excellent facilities that will soon be completed with the installation of various appliances.
The three-station gymnasium is jaw-dropper number two. Designed to accommodate multiple classes at once, the finished floor is in, painted, striped and sealed. It is beautiful. This will be the site of many new traditions to come and a focal point for the community. Bleachers will be installed very soon and the baskets and scoreboards are in place. Locker rooms are almost done, both team and Phy. Ed. Throughout the school there is ample evidence of good old Spooner School colors without a trace of Periwinkle Blue to be found anywhere!
The multi-purpose room or “Wrestling Room” as Mr. Melton prefers to call it, is painted, padded and ready for some serious grappling to occur. The new food service and prep kitchen is under construction with freezers installed, range hoods being hung and areas being prepared for turning out those always tasty and nutritious meals.
Last, but not least, is jaw-dropper number three area—the Performing Arts. The band and choir rooms are well on their way to completion with areas for instrument and robe storage as well as instrument repair almost ready to go.
And then there is the Auditorium. While so much of this project is incredible, this truly must be the jewel of the whole shooting match. With 529 seats and a professional sound, stage and light system all installed and ready to go, it is truly eye-popping. Let the school and community productions begin!
I realize I’ve gone on and on, and I haven’t even talked about the new track/football/ soccer complex, so I’ll just ask you to drive by and see for yourself. The stadium is in, the press box is up, the lights are ready to shine…..all we need is some cool fall weather, a bunch of young athletes, some hot dogs (as well as nutritious snacks) and we are good to go.
So, folks, we move out of old SHS on June 5th and into new SHS on June 8th. A date to keep in mind for sure is Sunday, July 19th, at 2:00 p.m., when we will have our ribbon cutting ceremony. In the meantime, take a drive out on Hwy A. It’s quite a sight!
- Robert J. Kinderman | May 2009
