Tusky Valley students say goodbye to old high school
Mark Murphy, director of operations, shows just one of the many ways the new school will be flooded with natural light.
May 25 was the day for students at Tusky Valley High School to say goodbye to the old and look forward to the new junior-senior high school opening in September.
Beginning this fall, students in ninth grade through 12th grade will attend the new school, built largely with Rover Pipeline and state money, requiring no taxpayer funds.
The current high school opened its doors in 1961, and the old girl has been showing its age in recent years. Originally consisting of just three wings in a U-shape, a junior high wing was added later, making the school a large square with open space in the middle.
Jason Phillips, the high school principal, spoke about some of the things he is excited about with the new school. “I’m looking forward to every room having more than one electrical outlet,” he said.
Phillips said he believes the technology, modern space in the building and the design of a multi-school campus will better prepare students for entering college, technical school or the real world.
“It just has the feel of a more collegiate atmosphere,” Phillips said. “It’s super exciting.”
There will be feelings of nostalgia for the old square school that once sat in the middle of several corn fields, but the building isn’t going away just yet. Next year it will be used for second grade through sixth grade while the current middle school is renovated and an addition is built to serve as a building for pre-k through sixth grade beginning in 2024.
The Mineral City primary school also will be in use for kindergarten and first grade next year.
When asked what they would miss about the old school, one student mentioned the building’s shape. “I’ll miss the simplicity of the square,” Bailey Winkhart said. “The new school has elevators and stairs.”
At the same time, Winkhart is looking forward to the new, larger auditorium and stage, as is classmate Tori Wilson. “We’re going to have great concerts and shows,” she said.
At the same time, Wilson said she will miss the old band room. “All the paintings and trophies and everything that’s jammed into that room, even a lot of junk in there, but it’s stuff that contains memories.”
A.J. Glass said he is looking forward to having air-conditioning and a new parking lot.
A glimpse of the future
Mark Murphy, former superintendent and current director of operations for the school district, provided a tour of the new facility as it nears completion.
The entire building is climate controlled by five HVAC systems, one of which is dedicated solely to the gymnasium.
Classrooms are equipped with large Clevertouch interactive screens, sound enhancement so teachers can be heard throughout the room, individual climate controls, and sloped ceilings to better capture and disperse natural light as it changes throughout the day.
“There is no afterthought here,” Murphy said as he talked about the designed-in ADA compliance for children or staff with disabilities. The new school has an elevator and a lower floor wing dedicated to students with special needs.
Other highlights include the following:
— A sensory room where students with special needs can retreat if they feel overwhelmed and need to decompress.
— A HOPE Squad room that will be staffed by students who have been specially trained in suicide intervention.
—Security cameras throughout the building.
— A carpeted “gathering stairs” area where students and staff can gather for small group study, announcements or just to unwind.
New auditorium coming
Completion of a new theater is scheduled by the end of the year. The 504-seat theater will have its own lobby entrance, an entrance from the cafeteria, an orchestra pit and a larger stage than in the old high school.
As with the rest of the facility, the theater will now be handicap accessible. Additional goodies include a storage and prop room, a green room, dressing rooms with makeup mirrors and lights, and a shop for building scenery.
School spirit
Murphy said the new facilities are designed to reflect what he calls the Tusky Valley spirit. “It reflects who we are as a community,” he said. “It reflects a lot of district pride, the quality of excellence, high academic standards and a deep love for kids.”
By the time the new campus is complete, Murphy will have spent nearly 20 years with the school district.
“Sometimes it’s overwhelming emotionally because we really thought this would never be possible,” Murphy said. “But it has always been a dream, but now it is happening and it’s happening really well. My heart can barely contain the excitement I have for our kids, for our staff and for the generations to come.”