The extensive remodeling and upgrading at all Hastings Area School System school buildings, and new construction in some, is underway, thanks to voters approving a 4-mill, $44.5 million bond issue for 25 years last November.

 

Along with the significant improvements come many changes, at least temporarily, while the district carries out several phases of changes for the better.

“Everyone has a great attitude,” said Superintendent Carrie Duits. “There’s a lot of excitement; a lot of onlookers taking photos.”

 

Some are saddened by the recent demolition of part of the middle school. Duits attended Hastings schools and the changes are sad for her, too. “I have memories of there as well. My mother was school nurse at the middle school. It’s sad, but it’s about the students and what they need in this world, not about our memories.”

 

To let parents and guardians know about the changes they can expect at the start of the school year Sept. 6, the school will host two informational meetings just for them.

 

For parents and guardians of 8^th graders, the meeting is set for Thursday, Aug. 25 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Details will be explained and questions answered. If they don’t have the answers right then they will, “record and report,” Duits said. “I know parents will have a lot of questions.”

 

Parents and guardians of 6^th and 7^th grade students will meet Thursday, Aug. 25 in the middle school gymnasium from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. They will get answers to their questions, see the building and the route to Central Elementary cafeteria where the students will walk to lunch.

Students will have separate dates to visit and see their teachers, so officials ask that just parents and guardians attend the informational meetings.

 

The Back to School night for 1^st through 5^th grade students will be Tuesday, Sept. 6 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Kindergarten and Young Kindergartners will meet their teachers and visit classrooms on Wednesday, Aug. 31 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

 

Some high points in Phase One include replacing the 1917 portion of the middle school, replacing the high school lecture hall with a Performing Arts Center and installing safe, secure entryways at the elementary buildings to control access through a central entry point. 

 

Eighth grade students will be moving to classes in the D Wing of the high school, and will have most of their activities there. They will be shuttled by bus to the middle school for sports activities.

Sixth and seventh graders will stay in the middle school, with several spaces, now in use for other things, made into temporary classrooms. In some cases, teachers will move to the classrooms instead of the other way around. Students will walk to Central Elementary for lunch. All class sizes will stay the same, Duits said. //

 

Before the November election, the school district released figures on what would be accomplished with the funds when all phases of the project were finished.

 

*The high school, built in 1970, has 827 students, will get improvements amounting to $21,708,009, or 51 percent of the building budget. A 42,200 square foot addition will house a fine arts center, band and choir room.

 

*The middle school built in 1917, with 640 students, will get $13,704,410 or 32 percent of the budget for improvements, including a 51,000 square foot addition to replace the 1917 portion of the school, upgrading of the 1954 part of the building and bus loop improvements.

 

*Central Elementary, built in 1930, with 314 students, will have $3,189,093 in improvements, or eight percent of the budget.

 

*Northeastern Elementary, built in 1953, has 331 students, will get $1,577,789 in improvements, four percent of the budget, including remodeling of the 1953 and 1965 parts of the building.

 

*Southeastern Elementary, built in 1953, with 256 students, is scheduled for $1,314,360 in improvements or 3 percent of the budget.

 

*Star Elementary, built in 1997, with 318 students, will get $885,617 in upgrading and improvements with 3 percent of the construction budget.

*Athletics will have repairs to the track, tennis court, home stands and press box.

*Transportation will get buses and improvements to the bus facility.

 

The project architect is Kingscott Associates from Kalamazoo. The construction company is Barnes Wolgast Construction Services from Grand Rapids.

A steering committee with board of education members, Mike Schneiderhan, retired principal from Central Elementary, maintenance personnel, architects, Duits and a construction company representative meet every other week to provide general oversight.

 

A District Accountability Committee will begin regular meetings shortly, Duits said. By state law, bond proceeds must be audited and can’t be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.

Photos of the stages of demolition of part of the middle school by Chad Henry.