Voters in the Suttons Bay Public School district approved an $18.3 million bond proposal in May.
And Superintendent Casey Petz shared a timeline of what comes next during Monday’s monthly Board of Education meeting.
A kickoff project meeting was held July 2. Engineering, surveying, and preliminary site review begins July 24. From Aug. 1 to Nov. 15, is the schematic and design development for Phase 1 projects. From December 15 to June 15, construction documents, permitting and 6:25 will be consider for a summer 2025 construction.
The bond request came after a facilities assessment completed in 2023 by Cornerstone Architects, Nealis Engineering, and Owen Ames Kimball, as well as two community forums in October regarding district facilities. At the forums, Suttons Bay School shared assessment findings with the public and received feedback from the community on possible action steps to move the district forward.
Although all facilities have undergone various stages of renovation throughout the years since first being constructed in the 1950s, the assessment details how the recent enrollment numbers over the last decade imply that “an element of right sizing may need to be implemented in order to better reflect the needs of the school district and community.” The district utilizes two main buildings for the education of approximately 600 students, with the north building housing both the elementary and middle school, and the south building occupied by the high school.
Among the key priorities for the district are safety/security upgrades; sequencing of north wing, demolition and boiler replacement; completing projects that reduce costs, save energy, and “rightsize” the campus and buildings.
In other business during the same meeting, Petz provided a snapshot of what’s going on with the facility this summer.
• Work continues to improve safety, security, auditorium and routine maintenance.
• The enrollment drive for fall 2024, K12 and virtual school continues.
