Decorah High School on track for opening with completed renovations

Viking floor between gym and cafeteria

The Decorah High School renovation project is nearly completed, and save for some mechanical work to be completed by October and geothermal systems that will kick in when heating season arrives, the facility will present a brand new look for students as they arrive next week. "Punch lists" started on Monday for some of the final classroom renovations. The latest group of classrooms completed over the summer includes science classrooms, Health Room, Art Room, Computer Labs, Life Skills Suite, and Study Hall.

Dramatic new hallway signage and new color schemes that are complemented by solar skylights (also in interior classrooms) give a final, completed touch, to the $18+ million project. Nick Hildebrandt from StuXture Architects was enthusiastic about the project and stated to the Decorah Community School Board that "it was amazing how early the contractors completed their jobs." He added that the school district had been an "awesome" partner to work with.

Most of the site work around the building has been done, and the new street arrangement between John Cline and the High School will greatly facilitate parking and traffic flow.

District technology projects also continue to progress. The Smartboards that were ordered earlier this summer are scheduled to ship on August 21; document cameras are arriving now; and the final shipment of televisions is on the way. Installation work on the new equipment is expected to proceed quickly as the items arrive.

Chemistry Lab getting final touches

Art Room, with lots of supplies to find a home