As the Warsaw Community High School construction project nears to a close, three administrators gave a PowerPoint Presentation Monday to the school board on the new facilities.

Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott also presented the school board with costs for furnishing the new areas of the high school.

Scott said the estimated cost for the equipment was $450,000, but the bids came in at about $317,000, leaving approximately $130,000 for other items to be purchased. The winning bids included the low bid of $158,668.60 from Lee Co. as the base bid for office and education furniture; $135,818 from Wenger Corp. for music equipment; and $22,985 from Koorsen Fire and Security for technology equipment.

Making the presentation on the WCHS construction project were WCHS Principal Dr. Jennifer Brumfield and assistant principals Jennifer Shepherd and Troy Akers.

Brumfield said the factor to remember about the project is that it's a celebration of the students. That's how decisions were made: what's best for the students as well as being fiscally responsible. Countless hours were spent on the project, from administrators and staff to the project engineers and architect.

Brumfield first discussed the Central Administration Building. It includes expanded parking, new mechanical, technology and fire alarm systems, a new computer lab, expanded office space, new meeting room space and more storage.

A purpose of the undertaking was to have all the students on campus at WCHS, she said. The WCHS campus now includes the junior varsity baseball field, varsity and junior varsity softball fields, football, track, cross country, the soccer fields, the Performing Arts Center, classrooms, labs and physical education facilities. In total, 90 acres were developed for the students and community.

No rooms will go to waste. With the band room moving to the PAC, the old band room will become a lecture room. Before construction, Brumfield said, the school was over capacity. Now, the school is "comfortable."

The new main entrance is still under construction. "It's a true front entrance," said Brumfield, and not only will it be improved but also more secure. "That's always in our minds."

Shepherd talked about the new Performing Arts Center. Part of it is a new entry way for students from the bus loading area. It also has display cases and the new radio station that looks out on the new lobby/entry area.

The PAC project increases academic and classroom space, including a band room, choral room, theater room, multi-purpose room, radio/TV, a Black Box Theater and an auditorium. The auditorium was modeled after the Eisenhower Theatre at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

The cafeteria has a whole new look, Akers said in his part of the presentation. It's brighter, bigger and cleaner. It cleans up easily.

The fitness center is a state-of-the-art facilities and two-thirds larger than the previous facility. With the new fitness center and athletic facilities, Akers said WCHS now can enhance its physical education curriculum.

And having most of the sports fields on campus has excited everyone, Akers said. "The kids are excited, the parents are excited and the community should be very proud," Akers said. [[In-content Ad]]