In the photo from left to right. Front row: Jason Blome (RDG Chief Architect), Gary Haines (SEP Director of Building and Grounds), Steve Pettit (SEP High School Principal), Gary Fischer (School Board Member), Ric Powell (School Board Member), Brett Handy (School Board President), Lori Slings (School Board Member), Chad Crabb (School Board Vice President), Adam Krell (School Board Member), Dr. Dirk Halupnik (SEP Superintendent), Nathan Harris (RDG). Back row: Jayson Campbell (SEP Activities Director), Dr. Jo Ellen Latham (SEP Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction), Kevin Baccam (SEP Executive Director of Business Services), Jacob Stroebele (Graphite Construction) and Seamus Spain (Graphite Construction Superintendent).
Just before the rain fell this morning, we held the official ground-breaking for our new multipurpose stadium. Thank you to everyone including our School Board members, RDG Architects and Graphite Construction for helping us make this day possible!
School Board Member Lori Slings exclaimed,
“I am beyond thrilled about the ceremony this morning. This project has been almost 20 years in the making with many, many planning and design meetings over time. Our students and fans need the additional facility. The number of 7th thru 12th grade students (and the ever-growing number of enrollments) participating in classes, practices and events that use our current facility has created a scheduling puzzle. Over the last 20 years, the different board members have remained ever vigilant in putting the educational needs first for all students. We needed to find a fiscally responsible way that we could improve our facilities in a beneficial way to the students and community. I for one am so excited to see this come into reality and look forward to watching the many events and seeing the many students and families enjoying the new facilities. Thank you so much to the community for approving this most recent bond vote in order that we can begin work on this project and others coming online as well.”
The Multipurpose Stadium was one of the capital projects approved by the Referendum 2020 Vote held last fall. As a reminder, because of our strategic planning and proactive financial decisions, we were able to issue these General Obligation bonds without having to increase the school tax rate. And while our school district taxes did not increase, the passed vote does provide a dedicated funding source for these projects. Again, thank you to our community!
Look for more information to come as we move from the pre-construction phase of this facility to the construction phase. Exciting times!
