Superintendent provides update on school construction projects

The race is on to get construction projects complete and staff positions filled before Aug. 7 – Shelbyville students first day of the 2024-2025 school year.

The sixth and final phase of renovation projects at Coulston Elementary School and Loper Elementary School will not be complete before Aug. 7 but both projects are finishing quickly.

“Right now we are in pretty good shape,” said Shelbyville Central Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Vance following Wednesday’s monthly school board meeting. “We will have a few things left to finish up but the contractors are telling us we will be pretty close to done by the time school starts. There will still be a few items that they will have to come back and finish but we feel pretty good about those projects.

“It’s been a long time – six phases and over a year-and-a-half. I am really proud of our students and staff. There has been a lot of movement from classrooms and temporary rooms but we’ve said all along there will be a light at the end of the tunnel and it is there.”

The most obvious project underway is the repaving of the drive in front of Shelbyville Middle School (photo) and the entire parking area at Shelbyville High School. With good weather, Vance expects those much-needed projects to be completed before the school year begins.

“Tight time schedule for the paving for the middle school and the high school. They put asphalt down today at the middle school and it looks good,” said Vance. “There is a lot left to do at the high school but as long as the weather cooperates, they feel like we will be in good shape once school starts.”

The high school lot project has included adding lights, reworking entrances and exits and installing concrete islands and new curbs to help assist with traffic flow and parking.

“Once it’s done, it will be very nice and is very much needed,” said Vance.

School officials were informed recently that a city project to install a new storm sewer at Berwick Drive and McKay Road would not be completed before the start of the school year and will cause traffic issues before and after school.

“We know McKay Road is not going to be one. We will have some one-lane traffic there,” said Vance (photo). “We need to meet and work out our plans the best we can. We are going to need some patience. There will be some alternative routes. I don’t know the exact timeline yet either. We will have some things to work around.”

At Wednesday’s school board meeting, a public hearing was held on a $35 million bond project which will fund the next phase of improvements for the school system.

“During the 2024-2025 school year, especially the summer of 2025, our plan is to look at the high school locker rooms, some middle school upgrades and look at our transportation facility,” said Vance. “It’s kind of like we are finishing up the elementary projects, the middle school project, we are paving and then we will move right into some other projects.

“It is important to keep our facilities updated. We want good facilities for our students and staff and community.”