Two years ago, voters within Delta County School District approved a $27.7 million bond for renovation construction at three high schools and one kindergarten through eighth grade school.
Upgrades focused on improving safety and security entrances for Delta, North Fork and Cedaredge High Schools, as well as the Paonia K through eighth grade school.
The bond also covers renovations for physical education spaces for the three high schools, including locker rooms, weight rooms, wrestling rooms and an auxiliary gym at Delta High School.
“We're very fortunate and excited that our bond projects are going extremely well,” said Assistant Superintendent Kurt Clay, who noted that construction started at Delta High School last fall. Work included replacing the HVAC system on the A wing of the school.
"Those buildings were built in 1980 and we've not had any air conditioning in them, in the classrooms. And now we have airflow. And in fact, the other day I was there and some of the teachers are even saying it's almost cold. So that's a great thing. And actually in the afternoons as well, we're seeing a huge difference for our students and their energy levels being a lot higher in the afternoons, which is super news for classrooms,” said Clay.
Funding for the HVAC project was matched with elementary and secondary school emergency relief funds, known as ESSER funds triggered by the COVID 19 pandemic.
Several bond funded projects at Delta High School have been completed, with the exception of the auxiliary gym and the weight room gym slated to wrap up in mid-September. While the office portion and safety entryway will be completed by mid October.
Clay says the rest of the bond projects will get underway next month, starting with the new addition of a wrestling and weight room at North Fork High School. More projects will take place at Cedaredge, North Fork High School and Paonia K-8, using a BEST grant for the HVAC systems. Construction on security entryways will also begin at the end of May. More construction will take place in the winter months.
“Cedaredge High School will start the first week of December, and we will start the same way on the outside and up there. And then again in April and May, we will go into their existing wait room and locker room area to remodel those as part of its strategic planning,” stated Clay.
The district timed the bond request in order to leverage your money for additional grants, including a best grant for $9.5 million. They also took advantage of millions of dollars from ESSER funds.
“So we've been able to leverage another $11 or 12 million to that $27 million that the bond and the voters gave us for that bond, which has been a really success story, in my opinion, on behalf of how we've leveraged those dollars to make go farther for each of these buildings,” Clay said.
When it's all said and done, Clay says the number one reason for the bond passed two years ago comes down to safety for students and staff.
“In this new process, we actually will have a buzzer system, ”said Clay, “ So you'll come up to the front window, talk to our secretaries, make sure that we get what you need. And so if you stay right there to get what you need and or we buzz you into the system past the second set of doors so that you could be a part of our school or go into where you need to be at that point in time. But again, that layer of safety just ensures we know who's in the building at all times. And, you know, that's the most important piece for all of us and our safety.”
With so much construction work taking place. The district asked patrons for their patience.
“You're going to see that construction. We'd ask that people be mindful and stay safe and stay out of those construction areas and we'll have signs up of entryways and we'll help people navigate that. While construction is going, we just all have to be a little bit flexible,” said Clay.
The original completion date for all bond projects was slated for this fall. However, construction was delayed due to subcontractor shortages. Clay says the district hopes to complete all the projects in the fall of 2025.
"From the district standpoint, we just want to again thank our community so much because we do have great community support and we feel it from the school district side and our students are all worth that. And so we're grateful for that,” Clay said.
