ELY – Another brief ISD 696 school board meeting on Monday focused mostly on the $21.5 million school building and renovation project about to enter the final phase, referred to as the “summer slam” by construction manager Todd Erickson of Kraus-Anderson.
The project was started in May 2021 and is expected to be completed by this September for the beginning of the school year.
“We are 81 percent complete and have three months and about 19 percent yet to complete,” he said.
He described recent progress on the structure that will link the 100-year-old Memorial and Washington buildings. The new portion of the project will feature a secured entrance to the campus, with offices for the district and two schools, school media center, a commons area that will serve as a cafeteria during the school day, new kitchen, a second gymnasium, and music and industrial technology learning areas.
“The solar wall installation is complete on the south side of the new building, and that will assist with the heating system,” Erickson said. “Windows and doors on the new school entry area are installed.”
He showed several photographs showing many of the architectural features inside the new building, including an arch crown above the service desk in the media center.
“Another arch feature highlights the grand entry facing the commons area,” Erickson said.
In the gymnasium, the glass doors are all installed, along with the retractable basketball hoop mechanisms and volleyball scoring platforms.
“We are working on testing the moisture in the gym a couple of times a week. The ambient moisture in the concrete has to meet a certain level before the wood floor can be installed,” Erickson said.
Painting and acoustic tile are being installed in the new music education room this week. Ceramic tile installation in the new restrooms are about complete, he said.
“On the Memorial building, recent roof work includes removing the old heating and ventilation system units and installing the new HVAC system,” Erickson said. “The old roof vents up there appear to have been hand-made. They’re beautiful.”
“We are on track for our turnover of the new addition in September,” he told board members. “Our goal is to have (construction) bid package four, which is construction of the new boys and girls locker rooms in the Memorial building, complete by the start of school in September. We are working on (selecting) floor coverings and tiles to make sure what we are choosing will be available.”
Project expenditures through April stood at 48 percent, or $10,287,910, spent and 52 percent, or $11,141,532 remaining. Of the project contingency fund of $1,094,173, about 35 percent, or $381,862 remains.
“We feel very comfortable on where we are at with this,” Erickson noted.
“The new doors for the classrooms in the Washington building are on site and will be installed this summer,” he added.

Principal resignation
School board members reluctantly accepted the resignation of Megan Anderson, 6-12 principal in the Memorial building for the last five years, who will step down at the end of the school year. The position will be posted immediately.
In her resignation letter, Anderson wrote, “My desire is to return to a teaching position within the middle school. I look forward to continuing the long tradition of pride in education we have in the Ely School District while teaching our future.”
Before accepting Anderson’s resignation, board members approved hiring Anderson as a sixth grade teacher for mathematics and social studies.

Other business
In other business, the board:
• Accepted the retirement of third-grade teacher Martina Jarecki, effective Oct. 20. She has worked in the Ely school district for 26 years.
• Accepted the resignations of paraprofessionals Tammie Elliott, Aaron Kaercher, and Laurel Kaercher, effective June 1.
• Hired Monica Freeman and Tracy Johnson as Summer Skills paraprofessionals for June-August.
• Approved the reimbursement for the Ely Track Club for their participation fees in the amount of $1,336.25.
• Approved implementing a three-year-old preschool education program for the 2022-23 school year.
• Approved the recommendation from the school athletic director to authorize the school dance team to be certified as a competition team under the guidance of the Minnesota State High School League.