Progress made on new windows for Ely schools

ELY- The Ely School Board didn’t need the construction update received on Aug. 27 to know that the unsightly orange window panels at the Washington Elementary School are finally gone. The school board cast its final “good riddance” at its study session last week as Facilities Director Tim Leeson caught board members up on the progress of the district’s Phase II improvements project.
The ongoing construction project covers many items which were dropped from the 21st Century facilities project due to inflation-driven cost overruns and a costly unforeseen sewer repair. In addition to the windows, the elementary school bathrooms were renovated, with the additions of full-length doors on bathroom stalls and new automatic sinks.
While the exterior look of the elementary school has improved, the inside effect of the windows is a hit with teachers.
“Andrea Thomas’s (class) room in the southeast corner had no windows and now she has two and it makes a world of difference,” Superintendent Anne Oelke told the board.
Kindergarten teacher Heidi Omerza raved about her new windows Tuesday morning before her students arrived. “I love this,” she said. “The new windows are wonderful. It’s so bright in here I don’t need to turn on the lights.”
Ely Memorial High School also is getting new windows, though work on that building is not yet complete. Window installation is ongoing on the north side of the building, which was in progress even as school started for the year on Tuesday.
The district has arranged spare classrooms to hold classes while their regular rooms wait for their new windows.
“Work on the high school windows, blinds, and sills will continue into November, but it will be completed this year,” Leeson informed the board.
Completed in time for the start of school were the windows in the main, new keyed and fobbed doors, and a renovated art room and chemistry lab.
In other business at the study session:
• Oelke informed the board that the school district is readying a survey in support of its strategic planning listening sessions which it will conduct this fall. Oelke reported that the link to the survey will be posted to the ely.k12.mn.us website. The time window for school system stakeholders to fill out the survey will run through Friday, Oct. 4.
• The school district has three open positions to fill during the upcoming general election in November; however, only two candidates filed to run for those seats on the school board. Eligible residents of the school district can be elected as write-in candidates. If there is more than one write-in candidate, the top write-in candidate wins. Write-in candidates can decline their election.
In the event there is no write-in candidate, the board can appoint a member for one year but most hold a special election to seat a member in the following year.