09/01/2026
Our annual pre-opening facilities tour took place this week, bringing together Board of Education members and district leadership for an in-depth walkthrough of all four school buildings. Dr. G, alongside district leadership and building principals as guides, got a firsthand look at the $10 million in summer improvements and the work still underway.
The tour began at the middle school, where updates were largely cosmetic but impactful: consistent paint colors throughout, safety decals applied to cafeteria windows for lockdown drills, and older furniture replaced with new, flexible, collaborative pieces.
Next was the high school, starting in the lobby, where safety enhancements included a new entry system and guard station, along with renovated walls, ceilings, and lighting. The space is still a work in progress but is already stunning, with a display case and additional messaging and performing arts promotion still to come. From there, the tour previewed the auditorium, still under construction but on track for an early winter completion. Later this year, the CRA program will have some new space and access connecting its current space to the courtyard, which will double as a green space where students can gather and socialize during breaks, part of the district's broader effort to create more phone-free spaces for connection. One of the district's former cafeteria spaces is also being built out from the ground up into a new maker space, with that work continuing in the months ahead. The final stop at the high school was the cafeteria, which has been completely redesigned with new cooking and serving areas plus a variety of indoor and outdoor seating and gathering spaces, high and low tables, round and long, inspired by the feel of a college campus dining hall. Construction is ongoing but expected to wrap up in the coming weeks.
At Columbus, the tour highlighted new furniture and freshly painted areas, along with the first steps in converting the science room into next year's art room once the building addition is complete. Once that addition and the STEM science lab renovation are finished, the music room will also be expanded and renovated. That addition prompted an extension of the retaining wall at the back of the building, and fire safety updates were also completed throughout.
The final stop was Hawthorne, where the entrance has been modernized and made more secure, with the guard and greeter station moved into a secure enclosure and new secure entry and exit points installed. A major new addition made way for spacious kindergarten classrooms featuring new furniture, high ceilings, large windows, and new air conditioning and lighting. The library has moved into the former multipurpose/STEM room, complete with expansive reading spaces and a beautiful tree. The art and STEM rooms have also been renovated, along with offices and smaller spaces for small group instruction and academic support.
All spaces will be ready to welcome students on Thursday, though some renovations will continue throughout the school year. We can't wait to share these projects as they're completed!
Our exceptional facilities crew has outdone themselves preparing for another successful year. Our dedicated educators have been here all week, planning and preparing classrooms as we get ready to welcome back our students on Thursday. Here's to another outstanding year of Wildcat excellence!
