Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Turning shovels of dirt Thursday outside Shawano Community Middle School are, from left, student Keith Tourtillot, Principal Mary Kramer, state Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Bonduel, School Board member Marcia Yeager, district Superintendent Gary Cumberland, architect Melanie Parma, district building and grounds director Jeff Easter, and construction project manager Jared Olk.
It was an historic moment for an historic Shawano building.
Shawano school administrators joined with students and civic leaders Thursday for groundbreaking ceremonies on a major renovation and updating of Shawano Community Middle School.
“We’re excited to get this project started,” Superintendent Gary Cumberland told a crowd gathered outside the school.
With a ceremonial turning of dirt, Cumberland and others marked the official start of construction work that is expected to transform the 62-year-old building.
It is the last of the Shawano School District’s major school facilities to either be replaced or receive a substantial upgrade in recent years.
Representatives of the school’s student council joined Thursday’s ceremony and presented two large thank-you cards signed by students grateful to see the nearly $10 million project moving forward.
Principal Mary Kramer recalled years of uncomfortable conditions inside the school because of its age. Although there have been few complaints, Kramer said, everyone looks forward to the improvements on a building that engenders much pride among students, teachers and others.
“A school is not just a building,” she said. “It’s the team inside that makes the difference.”
Voters in the school district approved a referendum last November to borrow $9.25 million — with another $700,000 in district funds — to complete a long list of improvements at the middle school, 1050 S. Union St. The building is getting a new main entrance, an enlarged cafeteria, new gymnasium locker rooms, an updated kitchen, a new heating system, improved band and orchestra rooms, and more.
Construction management firm Miron Construction Co. started work earlier this month and is scheduled for completion by August.
School administrators have called the upgrade long overdue and have said it likely would keep the middle school, which at one time served as the high school, functional for another 25 years or longer.
Jeff Easter, the school district’s director of building and grounds, told those in attendance Thursday that he has developed a deep appreciation for the school’s role in recent Shawano history.
“This building has a lot of meaning and a lot of history,” Easter said. “It’s been a really cool experience to see how much this building means to the community.”