Students can begin to see the new dome taking shape and scaffolding come down as the school year comes to an end. While there will still be some loud noises and construction workers in the halls of City High, construction for the remainder of the school year will focus on the new addition to the building, which is on track to be completed on August 2. 

“We are on a budget and on time,” Assistant Principal Jespersen said. “Which is a great thing to say about a project of this magnitude.” 

On May 1, construction on the second floor will convert as demolition and removal of the boiler system begins. Classrooms will also be shifted once more. Most classrooms that were originally located on the second floor will move back to their initial rooms. Both the Little Theater and the guidance offices, currently located about the old gym, will not be open again until the end of the school year. Demolition of the boiler system will also begin in May, radiators in classrooms will be capped and removed. However, radiators, like those in the science classrooms, will not be removed as they are hidden behind pipes and shelving. 

The next section of classrooms that will move is the 1500 wing, the Project Lead the Way (PLTW), and IJAG classrooms, which will relocate to the second floor as the boilers are shut off. The drama, art, and music storage area will also have slight renovations as the 1500 wing is moved. 

“My plan is to relocate those on the second floor in some of the rooms I get back,” Jespersen said. 

Phase five, the final phase of the construction project, will involve removing the remaining radiators, finishing the new addition, pouring the upper lot and the new backlot as well as the connecting roads, and renovating the old cafeteria and kitchen into new career tech and PLTW labs.

“Phase five begins on June 7,” Jespersen explained. “Which is challenging with school not getting out until June 14, but when we set up the timeline it was built on school getting out in May.” 

Even with the scheduling conflict construction is organized to work around the students and staff as the school year wraps up. As students and staff leave for the summer 4th Avenue will close again so the parking lot and road can be repoured along with adding a new parking lot and road system on the back of the new addition. 

“We feel we will have more parking from when we started,” Jespersen said. 

The majority of class time disruption was due to fire alarms being activated due to construction. On Thursday, April 8, students evacuated classrooms due to fire alarms going off because of construction in the Little Theater. Sensors in the Little Theater were supposed to be turned off while it was painted. However, when dust got logged into the sensors it activated the alarm system. 

“I hope we don’t have any other issues, but I expected to have more throughout the year,” Jespersen said.