Winside Public Schools has officially begun it's expansion and renovation project. The ground-breaking ceremony took place on May 16th, 2022. Demolition of the current playground had been completed prior to that, and demolition of the center walkway began May 22nd.
The Layout
Architectural rendering of the front view of the addition and remodel.
Floor plans as presented for the first and second floors of the school. The areas in darker color receive more physical changes in structure, placement, etc..
Ground Breaking
Students and Staff gathering for the ground breaking ceremony in front of the center walkway.
Students and Staff gathering for the ground breaking ceremony in front of the center walkway.
Opening ceremonies were held in front of the walkway where the Wildcat had sat for the last several years. The band played the school song while the flag girls performed.
Dr. Offner gave a speech on what was happening and why. He reiterated to the crowd that this was for the students and future of Winside.
Ground breaking was done. Pictured left to right: Connor Kayton (Contractor), Andrew Offner (Superintendent), Landon Grothe (Board of Education), Jon Jaeger (President of Board of Education), Carmie Martoz (Vice-President of Board of Edcation), Tarrin Quinn (Board of Eduation), Scott Gatewood (Architect DLR), Mark Willey (Site Superintendent).
Demolition
The overhead cover of the walkway was demolished first.
The overhead area was taken out starting on the elementary side.
Once the walkway and wall were removed, the area really opened up. This was the first real shock to people as they came in.
Looking from the outside SE corner of the Gym towards the elementary. Demolition really took off. This also shows the high school entrance without the overhang attached anymore.
The old bathrooms on the north side have been evacuated and doors removed for demolition of this area coming up. A temp wall has been constructed inside the building for security and safety.
Inside the front doors of the high school. Plumbers have began locating and replacing old outdated sewer lines.
Looking from outside the SE corner of the gym towards the elementary. Walkway is gone, overhang on elementary has also been taken off.
Outside the back of the high school looking towards the elementary. The playground, walkway, and front circle drive are all gone.
Building up the grade for the new two story addition on the south side of the gym to house locker rooms on the first floor (upgrading the storm shelter area for the entire school) and the second floor for a new weight room and multipurpose classroom area.
Working on the grade and leveling of land where the old walkway, playground and entrance to the elementary school.
Grading and drainage is being worked on. This is facing the south looking at the backside of the elementary school where the new playground will eventually be located.
The first footing has been dug in as they prepare the two story addition to the south of the current gym.
Not a sight most see. New sewer line was begun in the hallway between the gym and locker rooms. This replaces an aging system that was beginning to fail. It is also structured to take the increased flow from the new additions.
"Store Front" of the high school building has been removed. This has been a familiar site since the building was originally built; however, it had to be removed to tie the new addition into it.
Construction Begins
Where the old walkway stood, now footings are being dug for the new foundation of the middle addition. Sewer lines have already been laid so the foundation crew could start. This is standing in the parking lot looking towards the high school.
Footings have been poured and now the beginning of the foundation work is being done. This is looking at the south side of the gym where new locker rooms (storm shelters) on the first floor and the second floor weight room multipurpose room.
More of the foundation being laid. This is a view of the masons pumping in cement for the south side of the locker room area. The extra depth and substantial "beefiness" of this area is for the safety of students and staff during severe weather. This picture is taken standing on the west side of the schools looking down.
On the north side of the gym, the restrooms and maintenance storage area have been removed.
Southwest corner of the two story addition next to the gym. This shows an auxiliary exit for this area of the building.
This shows the entrance for maintenance storage on the southeast corner of the addition where the new two story addition is going.
The North side of the gym where once stood the bathrooms and maintenance storage area. The area has been cleared for the new CTE addition. Retaining walls, stairway to the football field, and parking lot are torn out. Some small infrastructure things to clean up and dirt to be be removed from the hill before footings are ready.
This is a view from the hillside south of the current high school building. From this angle, the new East wall is rising on the new two story addition and the outer wall for administrative areas are being built up.
This view is of the new two story addition where maintenance storage and a stairwell will be located for the new addition. Part of this view becomes the new locker rooms/ storm shelter area.
The old stairway to the football field had to be removed as well to make room for the new addition.
Looking to the west on the south side of the gym shows the new east wall of the two story addition.
This is within the structure of the new two story addition looking east at the new two story wall. With the east wall up, the masons have moved over to the structure that goes up along teh current gym on the south side.
The old hallway floor by the high school entrance had all the old tile removed before they dug in new sewer lines to replace failing ones that were there. The dirt has been replaced, packed, and prepped for new floor to be poured. Once that flooring is done and set, they will go over it with a concrete mix for students and fans to use during the school year.
Dirt work has begun on the North side of the gym for the new CTE addition. This addition adds on classroom, storage, and lab areas for the AG and Shop classes along with some restroom areas.
This shot is from where the old turn school drop off was looking west on the high school side. It is looking at the south side of the outside wall of where the staircase is and under the window of the classroom located there. Footings and foundation work is going strong for the new addition between the buildings.
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