District building projects taking shape

The New Prague Area Schools is seeing the “beginning of the end” of its multiple construction projects.

Last week, sixth-graders moved from the Central Education Campus across the street to the new classrooms in the middle school building. For the past 10 years, sixth graders had been using an annex in the CEC building for most of their classes, but going to the middle school building for lunch, phy ed, music and other classes.

This week, the administrative offices in the Central Education Campus were reoccupied after having been vacated since August for renovation. At the same time, other departments have moved around in the CEC building to accommodate construction, including a shutdown of much of the community education wing for asbestos abatement and reconstruction.

Within the next few weeks, the middle school office suite will be moved to its new location on the west side of the building, near the new entrance, and next month, the auxiliary gymnasium and fitness center will open.

There is still much more to do, but the district is beginning to see the results of the bond referendum voters passed in May, 2015. This summer, the new indoor swimming pool is scheduled to open, work will take place on a renovation at Falcon Ridge Elementary and an addition to the district’s transportation center will take place, and the 1923 school building on the south end of the CEC will be razed.

All work should be completed by next fall. The project as of right now appears to be on budget and actually is ahead of schedule. Voters trusted the district with more than $50 million to improve the district’s infrastructure, and it appears to have been money well-spent.