Renovations continue at LaCrosse school

School is not in session, but big things are happening. The LaCrosse students will see many changes when they return to school next month after numerous renovations are completed this summer as part of a six-year, $2.2 million levy passed by voters in 2011.

“It’s continuing on our capital improvement projects,” said Superintendent Doug Curtis, noting other projects completed since funds from the levy became available in 2013. “Right now, we’re replacing all the windows and fire escapes for secondary classrooms and installing security locks for all of our classrooms.”

The locks for the classrooms will be the same ones the school has installed on its main doors, which can be locked down with the push of a button. Teachers will now be able to have this option in the classroom in the case of a lockdown.

In addition to the windows and locks, the school is also finishing carpet installation and flooring in the high school and junior high, as well as completing electrical and technological upgrades for the entire school.

“We’re upgrading technology infrastructure with new servers and new wiring,” Curtis said. “We’re going to be a one-to-one school next year. Every student and every teacher will have an electronic device with them at all times.”

Curtis said the electronic device will be a Chromebook, and it will allow students and staff to “keep up with supplemental materials available through textbooks.” Additionally, he said it will allow students to store their work on the Cloud and even allow teachers to grade work there.

“It’s going to cut back a lot on students losing their work,” he said.

These technological upgrades will help the school to focus on preparing its students for the future.

“Technology is probably the biggest thing we have going now,” said Curtis. “It’s about preparing kids for college and career readiness. It’s all online now.”

The school will have a technology day for the teachers to help them learn and work with the technology, and a new computer programming class will be added for middle school students.

“This is going to be more of a focused effort on computer science,” said Curtis. “We’re excited. We’re kind of learning as we go.”

Additionally, the greenhouse and south gym doors will be replaced this summer and a small irrigation system will be added to the scoreboard and pool area.

Previously completed as part of the capital improvements were new boilers and chillers for the elementary and secondary buildings, carpeting of all elementary classrooms and some of the secondary classes, security cameras installed on campus, outside doors installed on the elementary building, special education building, secondary building and main gym, addition of a fire escape door to the special education building, new roofing on elementary, secondary, cafeteria, shop, locker rooms and the music rooms, a new phone system, kitchen dishwasher and plumbing upgrades, new cafeteria flooring, new irrigation system for most of campus and a new Technology Airport internet support system.

Still left to be completed is the installation of an HVAC system, heating units in the weight room, special education building and music room and sidewalk upgrades.