Maumee: Some improvements finished for schools

8/3/2005

Some Maumee schools students can expect to walk into renovated buildings this fall, while others will have to endure a few more months of noise and mess as the district completes construction projects.

Over the past year, crews have made improvements at Maumee High School, Gateway Middle School, and Fairfield and Wayne Trail elementary schools. The district also built a $3.7 million performing arts center at the high school that opened in May.

Renovations at Fairfield and Wayne Trail will be complete by the time school starts on Aug. 30, Superintendent Greg Smith said, which is about three months ahead of the original schedule. Both schools got additions that include new classrooms.

The middle school is almost done with its face-lift, Mr. Smith said. The final area that needs work is the small auditorium, which should be complete in early September.

At the high school, most remodeling is complete except in the small gym and chorus room. Those spaces should be done in the fall.

"It's moving along well this summer," Mr. Smith said. "The vast majority of work should be completed by the time school starts." Workers started nearly a year ago on constructing a Fort Miami Elementary School in the 2500 block of River Road. The school, which is estimated to cost about $6.1 million, is on schedule to be finished in mid-November.

In January, the district plans to move students from the old Fort Miami into the new building. The old school will house students from Union Elementary School while renovations are being done at Union.

All the district's construction projects, except for the performing arts center, are being funded by a bond issue and operating levy approved by voters in May, 2003. The measures will raise about $42 million.

"All the construction is on budget and at this point we still have contingency funds remaining," Mr. Smith said.