By Sterling McGinn
To make sure the facility is clean and ready to go for the upcoming school year following the summer’s construction projects, Tahquamenon Area Schools (TAS) has postponed the first day to Monday, September 9.
School was initially set to open on Tuesday, September 3.
“The reason for delaying school four days was to give the custodial staff time to clean and for teachers to prep for students,” said Superintendent Stacy Price. “We had some delays with permits earlier in the summer that slowed things down a few days.”
Bond projects caused the opening of school to be delayed last year as well, though that delay sparked a two-week postponement.
Summer construction projects included remodeling the lobby bathrooms, adding a new bathroom in the kindergarten-6th grade building, a new family bathroom in the lobby, new entrance for the library, installing LED lighting throughout the building, adding more electrical outlets for teachers in the kindergarten-6th grade rooms, a new fire system, security cameras, a buzzer system, and new flooring in some spaces.
“I am excited for the community, parents, and students to see what has been done this summer,” Price said.
All construction was financed by the school bond passed by voters in November 2021.
The new library entrance will be located between the library and the old high school building and will also give access to the new Consolidated Community Schools Services office.
Extensive renovations took place in the Tahquamenon Area Schools Public Library this summer. Newly painted walls, new carpet and new LED lighting were added. The date for reopening has not been announced.
The new woodshop area, which will occupy the former high school science wing, will not be ready for the opening of the 2024-2025 school year. A necessary fire suppression system was not included in the plans.
Other arrangements will be made to accommodate the shop until the system is installed. A fire suppression pipe already runs under the new shop wing, which will make it significantly less expensive to add fire suppression to the new shop area.
Band and music classes will occupy the former elementary school gym, which was remodeled for that purpose.
The three-story high school, which was constructed in 1926-27, will be closed as part of the bond project. As a result, band concerts and assemblies will eventually be held in the J.L. DeCook Gymnasium. That move will save the district considerable costs in utilities.
TAS will still hold an open house during the week of September 3 with more information to be available soon.
