Renovations nearing completion at East Elementary School as school year is set to begin this Friday


Exterior view ... New windows give a more modern and updated look to East Elementary School in Waukon. An open house for the public is tentatively going to be scheduled sometime in September to view all the updated renovations to the school that were completed during this past summer break. Standard photo by Brianne Eilers.

A brighter outlook ... Students and teachers will experience larger windows in their classrooms at East Elementary School in Waukon. New lighting, ceilings and flooring were also installed in classrooms during the summer break, with teachers and staff all gearing up for the first day of school this Friday, August 23. Standard photo by Brianne Eilers.

New look to the library ... The East Elementary School library has a new look after the renovation project at the school. New windows, carpeting, lighting and ceilings were all installed during the summer break from school. There will also be a new circulation desk coming for the start of the new school year. Standard photo by Brianne Eilers.

by Brianne Eilers

Work continues on the renovations at the East Elementary school building in Waukon. The building is now sporting new windows, doors, flooring, LED lighting, new ceilings and also has a new VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) heating and cooling system.

Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Superintendent Jay Mathis explained that when considering this project the district had to focus on the overall scope and what could realistically be completed during the summer break from the school year. East and West Elementary Schools Principal Joe Griffith noted that “we are where we thought we would be in this process,” as far as the timing.

The East Elementary library has been completed and the majority of the school’s windows have been installed. Several of the classrooms are also finished and staff has been moving things back into the completed rooms to get ready for the first day of school this Friday, August 23.

“Things are going very well,” said Mathis. “We have been very impressed with the contractors and subcontractors, and the work is high quality.”

Griffith also noted that when work begins in an area, the work is done very quickly and efficiently. Casper Plumbing and Heating is acting as the general contractor. SEE Electric has been working on the electrical work, and Cresco Building Services has been working on the carpentry, along with many other subcontractors. In addition to the above-mentioned updates, the main office will also be remodeled to give staff more space as well as to make it more secure and convenient for office staff to see visitors and students coming into the building.

The district is tentatively planning an open house for the public sometime in September, and the date should be announced within the next few weeks.