The Spencer School District is considering improvements to its facilities as part of an upcoming referendum.
One of the proposed areas is a complete remodel of the FACE room, part of a program to teach valuable life skills similar to Home Ec classes, to eliminate asbestos tile and be able to accommodate classes run by Northcentral Technical College.
“We have a great relationship with our local NTC campus,” said Superintendent Mike Endreas. “We want them to have input on what we do with this room and the future of it. We look forward to having opportunities for them to hold classes here.”
Another area of improvement involves the weight room, currently on the stage of the gymnasium. Lack of space and the safety concerns over the increased amount of weight pressing on the stage as machinery has accumulated are both concerns, said Endreas. Every year, each board is checked to make sure it is structurally sound.
The referendum would propose adding onto the building to create a separate weight room at a cost of about $200,000. “We’ve evaluated our building,” said Endreas. “We just don’t have a spot for [the weight room] to go.”
A community fitness center, proposed as part of a community survey, has been dropped from plans. More support was given to academic areas than a separate fitness center. “The board wanted to listen to what the results showed,” Endreas explained.
Originally, the board decided to present two questions on the ballot in November but has now decided to delay the referendum until April due to new opportunities in the works, and to take time to plan the best needs for Spencer schools.
