Leavenworth Times clip: School employees begin big move
Posted Tuesday, June 8, 2010 07:42 PM
By John Richmeier
Posted Jun 04, 2010 @ 05:02 PM

Leavenworth High School probably hasn’t been completely empty since it was built in the 1950s.

But district employees are in the process of moving everything out of the school to accommodate construction work this summer, according Matt Dedeke, assistant director of buildings and grounds.

“We’re finding a lot of old stuff,” he said.

And district employees have been emptying several other school buildings.

These moves come as workers wrap up the construction of a new elementary school and renovations at the Anthony and David Brewer school buildings. The projects are part of a $57.8 million bond issue.

Renovations at the high school also are being funded by the bond issue.

The Leavenworth Board of Education has sold several school properties that officials say are no longer needed.

The Howard Wilson and Muncie elementary buildings are among the properties that have been sold as well as the North Broadway Education Center.

Dedeke said these buildings already have been cleared out or will be emptied. The Ben Day building, which is up for sale, also will be emptied.

He said the Nettie Hartnett building also is being affected. That building is not for sale but will switch from serving as an elementary school to housing other programs.

Dedeke said Nettie Hartnett already is home to the district’s archives room, which had been housed in the North Broadway building.

“That was one of our first moves,” he said.

As construction crews finish their work at the new Henry Leavenworth Elementary School and Anthony and David Brewer, district employees will be moving items into these buildings.

Dedeke said the moves will be completed before the start of the next school year.
Renovation work at Leavenworth High School will not be completed by the start of the school year. But classes will be held there this fall, so employees plan to move items back into the building before the start of the school year.

In the meantime, district officials are utilizing a couple of storage facilities.

Dedeke said an outside company was hired to move some heavy items such as kitchen and weight room equipment.

He said Friday that district employees were about halfway through their effort to empty the high school.

He said employees will be able to move items back into the high school as various sections become available rather than moving everything at one time.

High school offices have temporarily been moved to Richard W. Warren Middle School.

Dedeke said district officials had been planning the moves for some time, and a number of people provided input.