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Future tenants view Cleveland
Published Thursday, May 22, 2008
Michael Beach is shedding some light on the building process for its future tenants.
Students from Cleveland Elementary and McKinley fourth-grade classes got an inside look Wednesday at the construction being done to the Cleveland building’s new addition.
Beach took the opportunity to get students involved in the process, and to challenge the students to think about the effort that goes into a building construction project.
“You flip the light switch and it seems like magic,” Beach said to the kids.
But as Beach explained, there’s much more to it than just a push of a button.
“There is a lot to it,” Beach said. “I want them to experience it, I want them to appreciate it.”
He’s hoping he may be able to plant a seed of interest in the youngsters so when asked what they want to be when they grow up, they might just think about construction.
When Beach and his crew go to work on the new high school addition next summer, he plans on opening up tours to the public. He said that may be a way to get high school aged kids thinking seriously about the profession.
“I’d like to make people understand that the rate of pay is pretty good.”
Jonah Bergstrand, a fourth grade student at McKinley, said the idea of constructing an entire building seems like a daunting task—one he’s not quite sure he could handle.
“I could probably build a tree house, but not that,” he said.
Students took turns asking questions and learning about the various elements of the building’s design. The gym proved to be the most enjoyable part of the tour for the students, who have been waiting their turn for a look inside.
“Every day our bus drives by it, and I’ve been dying to go in it,” said fourth-grade student, Ashlyn Hess.
The building, which is set to be complete by the beginning of next school year, will host Fergus Falls fourth and fifth grade classes. The next time students step inside the building in the fall, the project will be complete.
At a time when most kids are planning their summer breaks, the new building has some students already excited about the upcoming school year.
“I can’t wait for next year,” Ash said.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by ffmomtoone (anonymous) on May 22, 2008 at 2:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
From what I've heard, they'll have plenty of time to do tours at the middle school as they already appear to know they won't complete the project on schedule. Funny how school had to be let out early in order to get everyone out of the building in order to keep the schedule. Didn't that story change quickly...and they wonder why people don't trust the administration. And by the way, anyone who needs a nice wood chair or a desk can pick one up at the city dump. The district must have found some money to purchase new furniture since they're throwing out furniture. At the very least, they could wait until they have a "new" school to put it in.
Posted by fergus187 (anonymous) on May 22, 2008 at 4:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
great plan!
get them thinking about manual labor that requires no education at all.
just think kids once you graduate you can work under a high school dropout!
I certainly don't mean any disrespect to construction workers, but my point is why are we trying to brainwash 4th graders into construction?
is unskilled labor really what our tax dollars are being spent to teach?
I bet some construction could have been done instead of a tour, and maybe for once one of these construction companies would actually get close to completion on the date they promise!
shesh, I wish construction workers did learn more about estimates and ethics!
nice school furniture at the dump, you say?
don't you touch it!
it's against the Law to recycle from there!
gotta keep our trash piling up you know!
thats why we don't have clean up week anymore!
just too expensive!, so lets build a waterpark! LOL, or a new facility for the police and hire a couple more cops to sit at holiday and perkins while our town is being sacked by a drug addict or two, that they let off with a slap on the wrists again.
and who are you to expect school employees to struggle with well built american made wood furniture, when we can just throw it out and buy more expensive slave labor built flimsy modern furniture?
you talk like you're paying for it thru taxes or something!
uffda!
how many empty newly built commercial spaces are there in Fergus again?
more construction is the future for our kids huh?
:(
I spose with the increased drug addict population and the forclosures coming, they will be needing more vacant commercial space to break in and sleep eventually!
Posted by axman (anonymous) on May 22, 2008 at 9:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
fergus187,
High School dropouts?,manual laborers with no education at all?,unskilled laborers?.Is this how you perceive construction workers? These people represent the pride and talent that made this entire nation the greatest country in the world. Your level of education must surely be at or below that of a second grader(I certainly didn't mean any disrepect to second graders).
Posted by Brandon (anonymous) on May 22, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"And by the way, anyone who needs a nice wood chair or a desk can pick one up at the city dump. The district must have found some money to purchase new furniture since they're throwing out furniture."
Uhhh.. by the way, the chair you would be picking up is broken and unusable. That's why they are getting thrown away. And they aren't buying any more furniture, smart stuff.
Posted by fergus187 (anonymous) on May 23, 2008 at 8:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
construction is what made this country the greatest country in the world?
no!, over construction is what bankrupted this country!
Loans are made for construction, and loans are the source of our national debt.
empty commercial buildings are what has turned this country into a country of debtors rather than owners!
what is the most widely cited financial problem lately countrywide?
real estate forclosures!
because people are given credit they can't afford to repay in the end!
to build!
not only empty commercial space, but national debt!
and how I perceive construction workers, is based on all of them I have met.
drunk at the bars, passing around meth in the parking lots, and bathrooms, in fact I don't know any construction laborers that that are high school graduates.
I'm sure there are some, maybe even many, I just have never met them.
I have run into literally hundreds, that are dropout, drugged out, drunks.
please explain to me how empty buildings, and the credit crisis it has created, made this country better off in any way!
Posted by PeterJennen (anonymous) on May 23, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Giving these students a tour was an excellent idea! I'm sure they will be proud of their new school. Judging by the picture and the comments from the students, they found it to be an excellent idea too. I've met Michael Beach and he is a consummate professional with the highest of standards. Those students received a good lesson in real life on that tour.
Posted by fergus187 (anonymous) on May 23, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
a professional?
why it is he is wearing a hard hat on this construction site while the children are not?
did he give this tour off the clock or was he getting paid to build at the time?
I personally don't want my children touring unfinished building sites that require hard hats without any!
I would prefer they just get the building done and let the children admire it when they're spending the school year there.
I would think this would worry someone about liability at the very least?
Posted by fergus187 (anonymous) on May 23, 2008 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
and as for my level of education, no not 2nd grade, I actually graduated from Fergus falls High school, with two scholarships.
I attended school here from head start all the way thru 12th grade.
so if you have any concerns about my lack of education...
Yeah maybe a 2nd grade level education is all this community is able offer?
“I could probably build a tree house, but not that,” he said."
I don't see how intimidating tree house building 4th graders with your power tools is going to rear them for success.
it seems to me it would just make them feel smaller, and more intimidated!
suggesting our kids think constructing a new building is like flipping a switch? please give our children some credit!
“There is a lot to it,” Beach said. “I want them to experience it, I want them to appreciate it.”
they are paying you to build it!
I want you to appreciate the contract we have given you, by completing the task on time and with quality craftsmanship, and quite frankly keep our children out of harms way and out of unfinished construction sites!
Posted by fergus187 (anonymous) on May 23, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
and hey Brandon aka "smart stuff", do you know how wood furniture is made?
if its broken, "fix it"
we do still have a woodshop class I hope!
make a new leg for it or whatever it needs, I would think it would be great if each woodshop class built a desk or something that would remain in the school!
also would teach them how to repair their own furniture, or even build their own, while at the same time, saving tax dollars, and not even endangering children on worksites that require a hard hat!
Posted by thinkB4Uspeak (anonymous) on May 23, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
All the construction workers I know are decent, smart, professional, hardworking, honest people. That may be because I don't hang out at the same places fergus187 hangs out with the "dropout, drugged out, drunks". I'd be proud if my kid became a construction worker.
Posted by poohsmt (anonymous) on May 23, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe that there is someone here who has too much time on their hands.
and an unnatural fondness for poor grammar and exclamation points!
Posted by fergus187 (anonymous) on May 23, 2008 at 7:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yeah well I wish Fergus falls offered a better grammer program!
more employment oppertunities, less druggie hangouts, and maybe even hard hats for our children who are being encouraged to wander around unfinished buildings.
I do know alot of druggies, not so much by choice.
they are my neighbors, and co-workers, some are even local police!
check the record for officer Millers dwi.
and honestly how do you know for a fact that someone is not using drugs?
You do blood tests?
you and I don't hang out at the same places?
please enlighten me as to where one can go to avoid these types locally?
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