West Prairie (Iowa) School District 103 has converted its former middle school in Colchester to a junior-senior high school.
Tri States Public Radio reports that the district has spent about $10.2 million to strip the former middle school facility to the bones and build a junior-senior high school around it. The newly renovated school will open its doors to students next month.
“It’s about as brand new of a building as you can get that’s not brand new,” said Principal Jimmy Heuer.
The building dates to 1968.
An addition to the front of the building includes a secure vestibule, new offices, and new classrooms.
Classrooms throughout the old building were renovated and have new furniture. An air conditioning system has been installed.
The district also put in new lockers, new bathrooms, new bleachers in the gymnasium, and new locker rooms. It improved the acoustics in the gym, and the building’s new vinyl flooring won’t need to be waxed.
The upgraded campus now has its own cafeteria. That wasn’t the case when it was a middle school, which meant students who didn’t bring food from home had to walk or be bused to the South Elementary School for meals.
The district will continue to use the old high school building in Sciota for at least a few years. Its long-term future has not been determined.
