Phase 3 begins at Clark-Shawnee construction site, superintendent says

Construction and renovations on schools in the Clark-Shawnee Local School District are coming closer to completion as phase three begins, according to a district official.

In a video about the school’s construction progress on Clark-Shawnee’s Facebook page, Superintendent Brian Kuhn said once temperatures hit bitter cold, masonry work was put on hold.

“Talking briefly about our elementary school site, early December they were continuing with under ground infrastructure and masonry,” he said. “Once the temperatures hit those bitter cold points, those temperatures don’t allow the masonry work to continue, so we planned for and we knew there’d be a point in time where work would have to stop. We’ll see some under ground utility work but we’re not gonna see anymore masonry until temperatures break in the spring.”

Kuhn said the district saved between $300,000 and $500,000 by not winterizing the construction sites.

As for the high school and middle school renovation, the district is getting to a, “big pivotal point as it’s the time where we’re gonna receive back a bulk of our learning spaces that have been under renovation and that’s gonna put most classrooms, not all but most, in renovated space,” Kuhn said.

DECEMBER UPDATE: Superintendent: Clark-Shawnee construction, renovation ‘still on track’

“There’s now a hallway that’s been opened that connects the east side to the lobby, so we no longer have to have students walk outside and around the building to get from one end to the other,” Kuhn said.

Kuhn said phase three, which will look at the art room and former business wing, will start in the beginning of this month.

“That area will become under renovation as well as the north gym, so pay close attention to the location of sporting events and practices,” he said.

Lastly, Kuhn said look for the upcoming newsletter as it will have a special open house date so the public can come in and see the high school/middle school renovations.

He said the project architect, SHP, will set up a virtual reality system to allow visitors to take a virtual walk through the elementary school.

NOVEMBER UPDATE: Clark-Shawnee construction, renovation project makes progress

Clark-Shawnee held a groundbreaking in October 2018 to kick off construction of their preK through sixth grade school building.

Voters approved a $37 million bond issue in August 2017 to build a new elementary school and renovate the middle/high school. The bond issue was for 5.3 mills for 37 years and will cost the owner of a $100,000 home a little more than $15 a month.

The state will cover about 30 percent of the cost of the project – about $15 million.

The school will be across the street from Shawnee High School, which is currently undergoing a major renovation.

Kuhn said the district expects to have the middle/high school renovations completed by the start of the 2020-21 school year with the elementary school completed by March 2021.

About the Author