$375,000 makeover for BL school

By Trisha Marczak (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Thursday, October 2, 2008

The Battle Lake School Board approved a $375,000 plan to upgrade the district’s facilities.

The money used will come out of the district’s budget, and will not come at any additional cost to taxpayers.

When the district built the new school building eight years ago, it originally planned to format the science room to incorporate lab space and classroom space together in a large, pentagon-shaped design. That wasn’t in the district’s budget during the time of the initial building projects, but now plans are in the works to start construction at the end of the school year. The space is expected to be complete for the 2009-10 term.

To enhance the science department, an additional $18,000 will be spent on new science equipment, including GPS navigators, digital microscopes and a variety of sensor technology.

The new science facilities and equipment are coming at a time when the state is upgrading its science standards, which just happened to coincide with the long-term plan for the district.

“It all ties in, but the thought process began long before (standards were announced),” Supt. Rick Bleichner said.

Also on the agenda is a re-vamping of the school’s music area. Although no set plans have been made as to how the space will be transformed, instructors and district leaders are in the planning stages.

The district’s outdoor track will also experience a face lift. The school board ear marked $90,000 towards the project, expected to amount to a total of $150,000. The rest of the money will be raised by the three communities that utilize the track: Henning, Battle Lake and Underwood. The six-lane all season track is set to be complete for this spring’s track season.

Safety was also on the minds of the school board, as $15,000 was designated to fund the equipment for surveillance cameras on the outdoor of the building, including the playground.

“We’ve always wanted them outside” said Superintendent Rick Bleichner. “School safety is always an issue.”

The school’s locker rooms are also set to see an upgrade, with $2,500 going towards new aluminum seating.

The district began planning for the upgrades four years ago. Last fall a facilities committee was formed to research what the district could accomplish without asking for taxpayer help. After a comprehensive report was created, the committee requested the school board approve the plan.

“We’re really excited about moving along with more building projects,” Bleichner said.