“Adaptability” might be the characteristic that best describes students and staff at William Kelley School. With construction ongoing, and the sound of jackhammers and other equipment easily audible from the elementary wing, every day is a lesson in flexibility and patience as faculty and contractors work together towards the remodel completion. “The staff, students, and families have been very patient and flexible with the construction going on in the building,” Principal Dan Johnson commented. He works with the site supervisor from ICS daily to “coordinate the construction”.
“We are currently working on our girls and boys locker rooms, the main production kitchen, and the music and art suite,” Principal Johnson continued. “Upcoming projects include the main high school gym, the art room, and the current FACS room.” The current FACS room will be transformed into a community room, and the FACS teacher will be teaching in another space for the remainder of the semester, though the class will not have access to cooking equipment there.
The new office area, facing Banks Boulevard, is nearing completion, with multiple members of the faculty having already transitioned to the new space. The old office area will become a space for the school counselors, and will provide more privacy for students who visit the counselors. Wall tile is continuing to be updated in the halls from the original pink to a more modern gray. The library will be updating its furniture with furniture obtained from Two Harbors High School, and the arts and music suite now has a skeleton framework.
The two big upcoming projects, though, are the main gymnasium and the kitchen. The gym will receive a new ceiling and ductwork, and work on it will begin on May 20. The kitchen will receive a complete remodel with a new layout and equipment. This, of course, brings some changes to how students will be served meals. A temporary wall is going up in the cafeteria to keep construction dust from the eating area. Many meals are made at Two Harbors High School, then frozen and reheated at William Kelley. The kitchen staff is using the Galley kitchen for the time being, and this is where kindergarten through third graders will eat, while the older grades will get their meals in the Galley and carry them to the cafeteria.
The anticipated completion date for all projects is currently around November 2025, and William Kelley faculty appreciate students and families’ understanding during this time.
