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SYRACUSE — The Wawasee School Board’s December work session Monday focused on construction progress across the district, including lengthy discussions on the new Milford Elementary School, planned tennis court replacements, and final steps toward fully opening the renovated Wawasee Middle School swimming pool.
Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer and representatives from architecture and engineering firm Garmann Miller walked the board through new details on the high school and middle school track resurfacing and the complete rebuild of the high school tennis courts.
Emily Howell, from Garmann Miller, explained that because the projects are publicly funded, Indiana public works regulations require additional engineering, stamping, permitting, design releases and bidding steps, all of which increase project cost and timeline. She said the district’s previous tennis court failures appear partly tied to inadequate geotechnical preparation in earlier installations.
New soil testing recommended tearing out the courts entirely and replacing the asphalt surface with concrete due to unstable soils beneath the site. Depending on the condition of sub-surface drains, crews may need to excavate 12 to 24 inches.
Board members expressed concern about player impact and tight construction windows between boys and girls tennis seasons. Troyer and Garmann Miller staff said the district is studying whether the project could begin slightly later in summer or extend into part of a season to avoid rushing work.
“We would rather take a little more time and make sure the project is done correctly,” Troyer said. “It’s likely one season will be affected, but we want to minimize that disruption.”
Milford Elementary Principal Michael Casey delivered an update on the new school building, now approaching completion. Contractors expect to turn the facility over to the district at the end of February, allowing staff to begin moving materials ahead of an April 15 first day in the new building.
Casey said the transition will require “patience and flexibility,” noting that many staff have worked in the current 1950s-era building for decades. He outlined a three-phase communication and celebration plan including nostalgia nights, student tours, classroom prep days and a later community open house.
“We really want to build excitement,” Casey said. “Our students and staff should feel that this is their building and their story.”
The new school features a bright, modern cafeteria, a full-size gym, embedded casework in classrooms, updated restrooms, integrated school history murals and expanded hallway space. Contractors will demolish the current building immediately after spring break to make way for parking and final site work, which must be completed before August.
Troyer also updated the board on the WMS pool project, which reached substantial completion Nov. 21 but still contains “a fairly significant punch list.” Replacement tile around the pool deck remains delayed due to sourcing issues, requiring temporary tile that will be swapped out later.
Despite remaining work, the district held a closed event after postponing last week’s first meet, allowing families to see the renovated facility. Reviewers praised the brighter environment, improved air quality, upgraded scoreboard and timing system and comfortable new bleachers.
One unexpected complication involves the building’s fire-suppression system, which previously relied on the pool as its water source. A new well and pump house are being installed, but may not be online until spring.
The work session included preview discussions of December action items, such as selling unused athletic equipment and updates from the Superintendent Advisory Council, but no votes were taken.
During his superintendent’s report, Troyer said he is planning to launch a new Superintendent Advisory Council in early 2026. The group, as currently proposed, would include a cross-section of parents, staff and community members - one or two per Wawasee School District town - and meet regularly to discuss district initiatives, facility planning and communication priorities.
Troyer said the goal is to create “an intentional, ongoing forum” for residents to raise concerns and offer feedback outside of formal board meetings.
Patron Curt Hursey told the board he appreciated the increased transparency, quicker updates and the willingness of administrators to “bring the community into the process” as work progresses across the district. He encouraged the board to continue consulting community members for specialty input and ideas on ongoing initiatives.
The board meets next for its regular December session at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 at the Wawasee Professional Learning Center, 801 S. Sycamore St.
