By: Maria Consbruck, Reporter
OMAHA, Neb.- A bond program was issued for Omaha Public Schools to provide improvements to current schools.
With this bond, OPS is able to finance the construction of two high schools, one in northwest Omaha and one in south Omaha, two elementary schools in south Omaha, and one middle school in south Omaha
This bond program includes two phases. The $421 million phase one bond was approved in 2014 and has since been completed. Phase one was completed on time, and on budget. There was even enough money left over that allowed the district to complete additional identified work. The $409.9 million phase two bond was approved in 2018.
Brad Boganowski, construction administrator, said phase two is underway for the bond.
“We have completed 11 of the 25 school projects, with five additional schools substantially complete in the next 90 days, represented by the green area of the pie chart. Roughly 54% of our project schools are in the midst of the construction phase,” he said.
One of the schools anticipating these renovations is Spring Lake Magnet Elementary. The Spring Lake School scope of work includes a new addition and capital improvement to the existing building. The plan provides for a ten-classroom addition to alleviate overcrowding, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system updates along with other improvements to increase building system efficiencies.
In Jan. 2022, Spring Lake switched locations to the old Southroads mall and is currently using space that was once known as a JCPenney.
Katy Cattlett, Spring Lake Magnet principal, said moving during the middle of the year was tough.
“But one of the best parts about that is they kept their same teacher from there to here. It was really funny to hear all of their thoughts of what they thought was going to happen,” she said. “One time one of the kids asked me, ‘Miss are you going to the new school with us?’ I was like ‘Yeah, baby I’m not staying here with the construction people. I’m going with you!”
The staff and faculty did everything they could to reassure the kids’ about the move. They created PowerPoints to share with the kids to give them an insight into the new location and brought over what they would need from their old school. They had the children pack their own box in hopes that they will see it at the new location and recognize it. This helped with the overall move because it provided a sense of familiarity for both kids and teachers.
Moving locations has come with it challenges but Spring Lake is finding ways to adapt and acquaint themselves with their new environment.
Cattlett said, “This is a major significant transition for young children, so we wanted them to be a part of it and to know that were going to make this move together but our things and all of our staff and all of the people that we work with are going with us.”
Students, faculty and staff will remain at Southroads mall for a year and a half before returning to their new and improved school.
