Administrators at Crawfordsville High School opened the doors to the school Thursday to provide an update on a series of renovation projects currently underway.
Rex Ryker, assistant superintendent of Crawfordsville Schools, said the current $10 million Phase I project promises to improve accessibility, workspace and security for both students and teachers by bringing the nearly 30-year-old building up to date.
“Outside of the responsible maintenance projects, the (goal of Phase I) is to modernize student and teacher space,” Ryker said. “It’s not only to improve student safety and supervision, but also some student enjoyability as well.”
A recent $5 million project for pool, roof and masonry work was completed as a separate project before officials set classroom- and student-section renovations in motion.
But now the more common areas of a typical school day are set for change.
One of the more noticeable changes visitors will see as they enter the building is the student locker section. Currently, lockers exist on the same floor across a short pathway from one another. After Phase I is complete, however, students will enjoy a “common area” with lockers on two floors.
“This whole area will be redone,” Ryker said, motioning to the lockers. “And there will be a student commons area. We will go to lockers that are about chest height so you can see all the way across, and then we will actually take (out) two classrooms upstairs to do the same thing up there.”
Ryker said the locker section adjustments are also an effort to prepare high school students for a more college-like setting with a lounge area complete with booths and tables.
In addition to improved locker areas, the media center, located across the courtyard, will feature a small cafe adjacent to its entrance. A new entrance to the school is also planned for the southwest hallway of the classroom wing.
The project is expected to take between 17 and 18 months, Ryker said.
“Ideally we will be done in the summer of 2021,” he said.
