Referendum Building Projects Update

The North Crawford School District has finalized the selection of projects to be completed within Phase 1 and Phase 2 of our $4.5 million facility referendum. These projects will bring our building and grounds up to date, and address any state and federal regulations that the district was not meeting.

Due to the success of our first year of operating a childcare, and the continued need of quality childcare in our communities, the district has decided to expand our childcare center. We will be adding two additional classrooms, to bring us to a total of four rooms in the childcare starting in the summer of 2023. We will also be renovating a bathroom to create a second bathroom to better serve the additional children.

The district will address water drainage issues in three different locations around the building. Near the back entrance of the building, water will be diverted underground and drain out into the drainage ditch behind the school, preventing it from draining onto the back parking lot, which becomes particularly hazardous during the winter. Additionally, the courtyard area between the middle school and elementary school will be excavated to allow water to drain away from the building, as well as the northwest corner of the playground. These projects will ensure water is being diverted away from the school building.

Theater rigging is the hardware and components that the theater lights and curtains hang from. Many of the hardware components of the lighting and curtain systems in the performance center are original to the building and are in need of an upgrade. This project will address replacing that hardware that holds up the lighting structures and the stage curtains. New hardware will ensure a safer environment in our theater for all to enjoy the many shows and assemblies that happen in there each year.

Most of the tile flooring in the school building is original to the building. There are many areas where the tile is cracking, heaving, and separating, due to age. This project will tear up the old tile floor and replace it with a new poured resinous flooring with colored paint chips. The new flooring will be much more durable, and will not need to be waxed annually, saving the district money on material and labor. The areas of the building scheduled to receive the new resinous epoxy flooring include the middle school hallways and bathrooms, the commons and bathrooms, the cafeteria and area outside of the performance center, and the current epoxy flooring in the front hallway and offices will receive a refresher coat of finish.

The North Crawford Media Center is a multi-purpose space that serves many functions and purposes within the school district. Gone are the days of the library only being used to read and check out books. The NC Media Center also serves as instructional space for computer science instruction, a Makerspace for student creativity to shine, a STEM center where students learn about concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math, and a virtual learning center, where students can have a quiet place to complete their virtual classes, and of course still being used as a quiet place where kids can read or check out a book. Renovation projects in the media center include new flooring, paint, lighting, circulation desk, and new furnishings, including flexible seating and bookcases. This project will ensure our media center is a warm, inviting, and modern space for our students and staff to enjoy for years to come. Our current library media center that will receive the makeover is pictured below.

A few years ago the North Crawford School District resurrected our Agriculture and FFA programs in the school district. Participation in those programs has grown immensely the last several years, under the energetic and passionate leadership and guidance of Ag teacher MacKenzie Knutson. The district has purchased a 24' x 50' greenhouse kit which will be installed on the west side of the building between the student parking lot and the school. The greenhouse will allow 12 month use for our students and staff to grow plants to study for class, to grow fresh produce to be used in our food service department, to grow flowers and hanging baskets to be sold to the community, and eventually incorporate a hydroponic system. The new greenhouse will no doubt take our Ag and FFA programs to a new level, and continue to provide skills and knowledge to students who may want to pursue a career in an agriculture related field. A picture of the greenhouse kit North Crawford will be installing is pictured below.

Many of the cabinets, countertops, and sinks in the elementary classrooms are original to the building, and are starting to show their age and condition. This project will replace all the elementary classroom cabinets with new upper and lower cabinets, a new countertop, and a new sink. This will create a more modern feel to our classrooms, and provide our staff with flexible storage solutions for their supplies and equipment. An example of the casework in our elementary classrooms is pictured below.

Phase 2 projects are scheduled to begin May 22, and conclude by the time school starts again on September 1st.

We're proud to partner with Kraemer Bros. Construction as the school district's General Contractor, managing the selection of subcontractors, timelines, and project completion. The district previously worked with Kraemer Bros. in the construction of the new school in 1990-91, and the building addition in 1996. We proudly support a successful business based out of southwest Wisconsin (Plain, WI).

We are happy to support and partner with several western and southwestern Wisconsin subcontractors to complete work on our Phase 2 projects. Local subcontractors that will be on site completing work this summer for our Phase 2 projects include Hall Ceilings of Eastman, Showen Excavating of Gays Mills, Foggy Bottom Woodworks of Muscoda, Doug Heisz Concrete of Gays Mills, local Amish craftsmen, and local contractors Aryn Hooker, Michael Olsen, and Brian Swiggum.

Email: bmunson@ncrawford.k12.wi.us
Website: www.northcrawford.com
Location: 47050 County Road X, Soldiers Grove, WI, USA
Phone: (608) 735-4318