The renovation of our school facilities is now in full swing, and we’re excited to bring you the latest updates from Bird Island and Olivia. These projects are making big strides, and we couldn’t have done it without your support.  Let’s dive into progress!

Bird Island Renovations: Out with the Old, In with the New!

• Protection is down for the flooring we are keeping. The demolition of the interior rooms is nearly complete with walls coming down, ceilings removed, and case work removed. 

• Asbestos abatement started at the end of February with the small gym floor and continued into March with bathroom and classroom abatement.  Work is now completed until next September for the building that will be torn down.

• Now, we’re gearing up for some underground action—tunnel, line boring for utilities, and saw-cut work below grade is set to begin by the end of March.

• And here’s the exciting part: Mid-April will bring some visible changes as we begin framing brand-new bathrooms and locker rooms!

Olivia Renovations: From Groundwork to Grand Improvements!

• February’s freezing temps slowed down storm shelter construction, but we fought back by thawing the ground to get those footings in place.  Two inches of frost ripping needed to be removed before we could start footing work!  By end of March, the foundation and footings were complete, and backfilling was finished!

  Pre-cast panels for the storm shelter are going up this month, setting the stage for roofing work in early April.  When you walk or drive by, this storm shelter will look like a building.

• The pool area is making waves! Exterior work is done, and interior work reached completion. After a thorough cleaning in February, the pool is being refilled and proper cholerine levels are being worked on for lessons to start in April.

• The district office and two classrooms is undergoing a dramatic transformation—major demolition is complete, steel stud work is in progress, and rough-ins are well underway. Underground work and drywall installation will kick off in April, moving us even closer to the finish line. Before long, this area will become four new classrooms for the 2025-26 school year.

What’s Next?

Every beam, nail, and tile bring  us closer to modernized spaces that will benefit our students and the entire community. From laying new sanitary pipes and correcting soil conditions to ensuring insulation and frost protection, these details ensure a strong foundation for the future.

We appreciate your continued enthusiasm and support as we move forward with these renovations. Stay tuned for more updates—we’re building something great together!

We've got some exciting updates on the ongoing renovations at Bird Island and Olivia – permits have been received for both sites! That said, work continues as planned.

Bird Island:

• The interior demolition is in full swing with the removal of casework and ceiling tiles. We've also installed floor protection to keep those surfaces safe and sound.

• Next up, we're tackling asbestos abatement. The small gym floor abatement starts at the end of February, and the bathroom and classroom abatement kicks off in March.

Olivia:

• The storm shelter construction is on hold due to the chilly weather, but don't worry, we're thawing the ground to get those footings started in February.

• The exterior pool work is done, and the interior pool work is 95% complete. Cleaning is scheduled for late February  and then we'll be refilling the pool to get ready for some splash-tastic fun!

• Tile work begins in March, and the district office remodel (zone 5) will be starting as well.

Other Cool Updates:

• We're laying new sanitary pipes, correcting the soil of the building footprint, laying frost blankets on cold days, and insulating the new pool walls.

Stay tuned for more to come and thanks for your continued support!

Our project continues as planned for both facilities and we are excited to share some key milestones to start the new year:

Bird Island Gym

The renovations at the Bird Island Gym have been successfully completed, bringing exciting upgrades to the facility. The newly installed athletic flooring enhances the overall sports experience. Additionally, the bleachers and curtain installations have been finalized, making the gym fully operational for community use.

Ongoing Work at Bird Island – West Side

Renovation efforts on the west side of Bird Island are progressing smoothly. All necessary permits have been secured, allowing work to move forward as planned. The abatement bidding process is currently underway, with work expected to take approximately ten days from late Feb into early March. Pull planning, a fancy work for scheduling, with the contractors commenced at the end of January to develop a structured schedule for the project.  Work is planned to start earlier than planned, overlapping with abatement in early March. Once the west side work concludes, the abatement of the east side will start in the fall, then demolition, and civil and exterior work will begin.

Olivia Renovations Underway

The pool restoration is progressing, and the exterior work is 99% complete. Inside the pool, renovations began in January and have reached 90% completion. 

We have received the permits for the big remodel and storm shelter.  The excavation for the storm shelter is underway, with footing installation set to begin this week, pending the frigid weather. Walls will start going up at the end of the month! 

In preparation for upcoming summer renovations, teachers have started organizing their classrooms.  The district office will be moving into the work site trailers in the parking lot circle.  The west trailer will house the business office and superintendent’s office.  The east trailer will house the AD’s office, the food service office, and the buildings and grounds crew.

Thank you for the great partnership and early preparedness!

It may be getting cold outside, but work continues at both sites into the winter months:

Bird Island Renovations:

Work is almost done on the gym's athletic flooring—it's 98% complete! The pintle and volleyball sleeves should be installed by the week ending December 20 and the bleacher installation is almost done. Work installing the stage curtains is also 85% complete.

Olivia Renovations:

The pool exterior restoration is coming along nicely, almost 90% complete, and demolition of the interior walls has begun. Additionally, storm shelter fencing, removals, and utility relocation are underway, with footing excavation and pouring expected to begin after the new year.

Progress on permits is moving along as the state review and comment has been addressed and resubmitted as of December 9. Next phases of work are scheduled to begin in June 2025, but there's potential some might get started a bit earlier so stay tuned!

Thank you for your continued support of education BOLD Public Schools.

Summer may be over, but referendum work continues as planned for both of our facilities and some key milestones have been reached. At Olivia we completed the interior preparations for the big remodel next summer, the exterior work with the track and field improvements and the Elementary School playground were completed.  The playground has all new equipment, a rubberized play surface, and a gaga ball pit that can fit a whole classroom!

A ribbon cutting was held on September 27 that marked the official opening of the playground, as well as a thank you to all those who helped make this happen.  Students and staff were thrilled to get out and enjoy the new playground.

September also kicked off project bidding, and most of the contracts for remodel scopes (both buildings) and building envelope work at Olivia have been awarded.  Due to contract issues, there are four items being rebid.  These four will have a public bid opening on October 29, 2024 in the district office with board approval in the following weeks.

We have also received permit approval for the building envelope.  This scope of work includes repairs to the pool wall, interior and exterior, along with window replacements for the south wing of the school.  The larger remodel permits for both Olivia and Bird Island are pending comment from the State and release of the permits. Once these permits have been released, we will be able to start breaking ground on Olivia’s NE addition. However, this doesn’t mean work can’t be done!  Site excavation work and tree removal will be beginning soon, this will help to start footings once the permits are released.

Overall, significant progress continues to be made in preparing the facilities for the next phases — starting this fall with the NE new addition, this winter with the district office changing to classrooms, and in Summer 2025 the demolition and remodel work. 

We look forward to sharing more updates as construction work gets underway. Stay tuned for more news and check back for the latest updates!

Thank you for your continued support of education BOLD Public Schools.

Over the summer, several updates were made to our facilities and prepared them for the work scheduled to begin in the Summer of 2025.

Improvements at Olivia included completion of the new exit, interior work, and some major changes to the playground and track areas.

Interior work focused on preparations for the larger project set to begin next summer and is 100% complete. This work included re-routing of electrical, sprinkler piping, water and mechanical  to prepare for demolition work next year, removing a storage tank in the boiler room, and installing a new water softener and brine tank.

Exterior work progressed despite rain delays, and the highlights include:

• New exit out of the parking lot is in full use.

• Lighting installations on the Football Field are complete and the playground lights are in progress.

• Concrete work for the sidewalk and Gaga Ball Pit. The playground equipment is installed and will be covered with a rubberized material next week.  The playground should be ready for kids the week of 9/16.

• Asphalt for the basketball court is installed.  Striping of the track, long jump and basketball court are all planned for this week.

• Restoration around the track and playground areas has begun and involves flattening, smoothing, and seeding or sodding the areas.

• Drainage work in these areas should address water pooling issues.

Improvements at Bird Island included painting the stage floor and replacing the stage lighting, which is ready for our upcoming musical. Additional work will commence at this site on October 6th after the musical.

Overall, significant progress has been made in preparing the facilities for the next phase to begin in Summer 2025.  With bid deadlines for the the next portions of work (at both locations) due back on Tuesday, September 10th, we are on track to complete all the referendum projects by the fall of 2026.

As the summer construction projects move forward, significant strides have been made in various areas. The interior demolition work at Olivia is nearly complete and the concrete work is not far behind, with 90% of the work done, laying a solid foundation for the upcoming remodels.

• The utility and grading work mirror the progress of concrete work, also standing at 90% completion. These essential services are crucial for the functionality of the finished project.

• Site work, which encompasses a broad range of tasks, is over halfway done at 60%. This work is vital for the overall landscape and accessibility of the project, and its progress is a positive indicator.

A notable highlight is the Bird Island work, where both painting and stage flooring are complete and the lighting is shining bright at 90% completion.

• The projects up next continue to focus on the playground/track area, where site work is ongoing. The electrical, plumbing, and sprinkler work is being addressed to ensure the infrastructure is robust and reliable.  Plans also include relocating  the water softener and brine tank(s), and replacing water heaters and storage tanks to improve operational efficiency.

• Upcoming  site work will include paving the track and creating a new exit to improve accessibility and safety, along with plans for an electrical switchover once the new electrical switchgear arrives later this fall.

Current work is going as planned, with more to come for these construction sites. Click here to see photos of work to date.

We are gearing up for a busy summer with these construction projects underway at each site this Summer:

OLIVIA EXTERIOR WORK (June - August)

• Athletic Fields: Demolition of the old track surface and installation of new facilities including long jumps, shot put, pole vault pad, and track surface. New field lighting and a new scoreboard will also be installed, with the scoreboard provided by the owner.

• Playground: Demolition followed by storm sewer installation, new playground setup, rubber surface laying, and new sidewalks construction.

• Utilities/Landscaping: Work on gas, water, and storm sewer utilities along with general landscaping.

OLIVIA INTERIOR WORK (May - October)

• Asbestos Abatement: Removal of hazardous materials.

• Demolition: Taking down old, unused mechanical systems and piping.

• Installations: Routing new electrical lines, laying new plumbing and mechanical piping/ducts.

• Reconfigurations: Relocating water softeners, installing new electrical panels, and constructing a new electrical room.

• Facility Enhancements: Adding new mezzanine seating and new bleachers in the elementary gym.

BIRD ISLAND LARGE GYM WORK (May - December)

• Asbestos Abatement: Removing asbestos-containing materials.

• Demolition: Taking out old bleachers and the wood floor.

• Rebuilding: Installing a new wood floor and new bleachers.

• Stage Upgrades: New flooring and lighting, painting stage walls, and hanging new stage curtains.

Another milestone included bid selections for the Summer 2024 sitework at Olivia School. The package focuses on exterior work on drainage and athletic fields, with some interior work, in preparation for the rest of the school remodel. Bids were selected and approved for the following work scopes:

• General construction work was awarded to Robert W. Carlstrom Co., Inc.

• HVAC & plumbing work was awarded to Weidner Plumbing & Heating, Co

• Electrical work was awarded to Laketown Electric Corp

• Sitework was awarded to M.R. Paving & Excavating, Inc.

This approval marks a pivotal moment in our district's commitment to providing a safe, accessible, and modern learning environment.

This Fall work is scheduled to begin at Bird Island. The project includes installing a new wood floor, bleachers, stage floor, stage lighting, and curtains in the large gym to support Performing Arts programming.

At Olivia, work will also get underway on both gyms and includes new bleachers in the small gym at Olivia, along with mezzanine seating in the large gym.

Stay tuned for updates as projects get started.

• Bid packages are being prepared for our site work and scheduled to be released in early April. The work being done in this first phase was prioritized to ensure proper drainage and essential electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems are in place to support the subsequent phases of our project.

• The work planned for this Summer helps prepare for the larger building remodel, and allows these spaces to be used earlier, while the broader building remodel progresses. Project work includes track resurfacing, field lighting updates, playground renovations and drainage repairs.