Viewpoint 181: Building our future

Viewpoint 181: Building our future
Posted on 04/26/2020
This is the image for the news article titled Viewpoint 181: Building our futureOur lives have changed, COVID-19 has impacted us all. No longer are we allowed to have our kids in school, gather in groups, attend sporting events, or even go out to eat. But what we do know is that there are many talented doctors, nurses, and medical professionals working on a solution to this pandemic. We as educators are navigating uncharted waters by delivering education remotely and we will be ready for our kids to return to the school as soon as possible.

As director of Buildings and Grounds I oversee the physical properties of ISD 181 and right now we’re making some major changes! Most everyone is aware of the construction happening at our new Baxter Elementary as well as the additions and remodels to Harrison, Nisswa, and Brainerd High School. These new additions are starting to take shape as all of the finishes like carpet, paint, lights, and ceiling tiles are being installed and we work our way towards the older parts of the buildings. Our target this summer, once school is officially out on May 22, is to tackle the task of remodeling facilities that are over 80 years old. When complete we will have schools with safe and secure entrances, right-sized classrooms, energy-efficient heating, and cooling systems, and state of the art technology.

Along with the previously mentioned “Wave 1” school updates, we will be kicking off construction on our “Wave 2” schools in May. Those projects will be at Garfield, Lowell, Riverside, and in the fall of 2020, the old Baxter Elementary will be converted to our new early childhood center. Like the “Wave 1” schools we will start those projects by creating the new additions to the buildings and then work on remodeling the old side of the school the following summer.

If you would like to know more please visit www.blueprint181.org for regular updates. We hope to see all our families soon!

Reid Thiesse is director of Brainerd Public Schools Buildings and Grounds
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