Groundbreaking held for Decorah High School project

The renovation and remodeling of Decorah High School is now officially underway.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Wednesday morning to mark the beginning of the two-year high school project.  Superintendent Mike Haluska told the audience of high school students that if the project goes according to schedule, the current high school freshmen would attend classes in a brand new facility their senior year.

School board president Melanie Tietz, praising the high school students for their academic and athletic achievements, told the group "now you're going to have a facility that matches that."

The project is the culmination of a study begun three years ago by the Shareholders Committee, which looked at facilities districtwide.  Co-chair Craig Rabe called the start of construction "a victory."

Following the brief ceremony Wednesday morning, some two dozen people grabbed shovels--and didn't do anything with them because rain had forced the ceremony into the high school auditorium.

(left to right): 2FromYou co-chairs Justin Gullekson and Michelle Whitehill; Shareholders co-chairs Jeff Olinger and Craig Rabe