A feeling of celebration and an aura of accomplishment and satisfaction drifted through the hallways of Freeman's new elementary school at an event that drew hundreds from the community and its surrounding area.
The Saturday, Sept. 19 open house at the new Freeman Elementary School, which opened to students late last month after a year of construction, drew a large crowd of curious district patrons that ranged from elderly who may have remembered when the old school opened 84 years ago to young children who will have no memory of how it used to be.
Collectively they passed through the commons area, peeked inside the new library - perhaps the school's finest attribute - wandered through the corridors and the classrooms while elementary staff and members of the elementary student council greeted them, and shared a pork loin dinner in the Freeman High School lunchroom.
It was a moment that both the Freeman School District and greater Freeman community had been anticipating for a year, and one that marked the completion of a $6.2 million capital project - the largest since the junior-senior high school was built almost 35 years ago and the most expensive in school history.
"You don't know what you can get away with until you try," Freeman Superintendent Don Hotchkiss said at a dedication ceremony earlier on Saturday, quoting Colin Powell, the retired general in the United States Army and former United States Secretary of State.
That comment from Powell is apropos in the case of the new elementary school, Hotchkiss said, because a project of its size takes a little courage and a lot of guts.
He praised the school board for "being brave" in its pursuit of a new school.
"The worst that could possibly happen was for somebody to tell us 'no,'" Hotchkiss told the crowd of about 150 assembled in the new elementary school gym. "As you know, that's not what happened. People told us 'yes' - overwhelmingly."
Hotchkiss formally accepted the building on behalf of the school district:
"To the contractors, to the staff, to the community members, we accept this building and appreciate being able to come to a facility that, I think, is second to none."
Hotchkiss' comments Saturday afternoon highlighted the 40-minute dedication ceremony, and included praise for others involved in the project, from the local building committee (he recognized them by name) to design firm Koch Hazard Architects ("A lot of people say to me they appreciate the way the building blends into the rest of the facility") to general contractor G.A. Johnson Construction and its personnel (he especially praised construction superintendent Mark Rave and joked that he wasn't paid enough) to the subcontractors (they were listed on the program).
"Endeavors succeed or fail because of those involved," Hotchkiss said. "Throughout this process we've attracted some of the best people we could attract. (Because of that) we can celebrate this great accomplishment and should celebrate it, and that's what we're going to do."
Hotchkiss recognized Alvin Mudder, who before Hotchkiss was Freeman Public Superintendent - a distinction he had for nearly 35 years.
What did Mudder have to do with the new elementary school, Hotchkiss asked?
"Through his work (during the reorganization years of the 1960s), our school district is the size that it is and allows us to have this tax base," Hotchkiss said. "Without his work, we would not have what we have here at Freeman Public Schools."
Finally, Hotchkiss offered sincere thanks to the people that make up the Freeman School District, and became emotional when he talked about the process that led to the new Freeman Elementary.
"I would like to especially thank the community for the courtesy and hospitality that was afforded me �"
He then paused for some time before noting that - even from those who didn't fully support the project - at no time was the dissent personal toward him or the larger school district.
"That meant a great deal to me," Hotchkiss continued. "It's been an unbelievable experience and a lot of fun."
More from the dedication ceremony
Hotchkiss' comments were just part of Saturday afternoon's dedication ceremony.
Others spoke too, including Gerald "Jerry" Johnson, CEO of G.A. Johnson.
"I wish I had the keys, 'cause I'd give them to Don," Johnson said; Hotchkiss then spontaneously stood up, handed Johnson the keys that had been in his pocket, who then handed them back.
Johnson went on:
"It was not without its challenges meeting this tight schedule," he said. "The weather has been the most challenging; I swear it rained every other day."
Johnson said working with the subcontractors involved in the process was "a great opportunity," and he commended the school district for choosing to move forward with what was a costly energy plan in geothermal, but one that will see great savings.
"Your facility is outstanding in its energy efficiency," Johnson said.
Comments on Saturday also came from school board president Darnell Tschetter:
"We'd like to accept this building and thank the people who put all the hard work in (to make it possible)," he said. "I think you'll be impressed; I know I am."
Elementary Principal Ryan Mors accepted the building on behalf of the staff, and fifth-grader Samatha Schrag - vice president of the student council - offered these brief but important words.
"On behalf of the students at Freeman Elementary I accept this building," Schrag said.
The dedication ceremony also included music from the Freeman High School band, which played both the national anthem and "Joyous and Ever Loyal," the school song.
Mors led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and Rev. Stephen Roussos of Freeman's Missionary Church gave both an invocation and a benediction.
Also, a 6-minute PowerPoint presentation assembled by Jill Aanenson offered a month-by-month look at the project through photos.
Aging building prompts board to take action
The new Freeman Elementary school was built to replace the structure on Wipf Street that has served students at Freeman Public for the past 84 years.
The two-story brick structure opened in 1925 as the only building used by the Freeman School District, and became Freeman Elementary when the current junior-senior high school building opened in 1975.
School officials began looking at the longevity of that building several years ago when ongoing fire code violations were becoming more and more of a concern, although an engineering study revealed that it remained structurally sound.
Still, board members voiced concern over spending what could have amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars on the upkeep of a building that was closing in on the 100-year mark.
The first serious mention of a new facility came in July of 2007 when the board began weighing the cost of upkeep against the cost to start from scratch.
"At some point somebody's got to have some vision and say that building has done its duty," said then-board member Doug Uecker.
The following month the board agreed to take a hard look at what a new elementary school would mean in terms of dollars for both the district and its taxpayers, acknowledging the project could not move forward without support from the tax base.
In October of 2007 the board met with financing firm D.A. Davidson to discuss funding the project through a combination of bonds and capital outlay certificates, and also with three architectural firms who presented how they would proceed with designing / building a new school.
In November of 2007 the board voted unanimously to hire Koch Hazard Architects and called for plans for a new Freeman Elementary.
In late 2007 a building committee made up of elementary staff, school administration and community residents was formed.
In February 2008 the board set a $3.98 million bond election that asked for a $1.40/$1,000 valuation tax increase district-wide.
The March 25, 2008 bond election passed overwhelmingly, 599-237.
In August 2008 the board accepted a low bid from G.A. Johnson that included a geothermal heating system, and late that month groundwork began.
The result of all of it is a 49,000 square-foot school that is physically linked to the junior-senior high school through the FHS gym.
In addition to offices, restrooms and a large commons area, Freeman Elementary includes two classrooms for each grade level, as well as rooms for Title I and special education. The new building also includes two computer labs, a centrally-located library, an auxiliary gymnasium and locker rooms.
The Saturday, Sept. 19 open house at the new Freeman Elementary School, which opened to students late last month after a year of construction, drew a large crowd of curious district patrons that ranged from elderly who may have remembered when the old school opened 84 years ago to young children who will have no memory of how it used to be.
Collectively they passed through the commons area, peeked inside the new library - perhaps the school's finest attribute - wandered through the corridors and the classrooms while elementary staff and members of the elementary student council greeted them, and shared a pork loin dinner in the Freeman High School lunchroom.
It was a moment that both the Freeman School District and greater Freeman community had been anticipating for a year, and one that marked the completion of a $6.2 million capital project - the largest since the junior-senior high school was built almost 35 years ago and the most expensive in school history.
"You don't know what you can get away with until you try," Freeman Superintendent Don Hotchkiss said at a dedication ceremony earlier on Saturday, quoting Colin Powell, the retired general in the United States Army and former United States Secretary of State.
That comment from Powell is apropos in the case of the new elementary school, Hotchkiss said, because a project of its size takes a little courage and a lot of guts.
He praised the school board for "being brave" in its pursuit of a new school.
"The worst that could possibly happen was for somebody to tell us 'no,'" Hotchkiss told the crowd of about 150 assembled in the new elementary school gym. "As you know, that's not what happened. People told us 'yes' - overwhelmingly."
Hotchkiss formally accepted the building on behalf of the school district:
"To the contractors, to the staff, to the community members, we accept this building and appreciate being able to come to a facility that, I think, is second to none."
Hotchkiss' comments Saturday afternoon highlighted the 40-minute dedication ceremony, and included praise for others involved in the project, from the local building committee (he recognized them by name) to design firm Koch Hazard Architects ("A lot of people say to me they appreciate the way the building blends into the rest of the facility") to general contractor G.A. Johnson Construction and its personnel (he especially praised construction superintendent Mark Rave and joked that he wasn't paid enough) to the subcontractors (they were listed on the program).
"Endeavors succeed or fail because of those involved," Hotchkiss said. "Throughout this process we've attracted some of the best people we could attract. (Because of that) we can celebrate this great accomplishment and should celebrate it, and that's what we're going to do."
Hotchkiss recognized Alvin Mudder, who before Hotchkiss was Freeman Public Superintendent - a distinction he had for nearly 35 years.
What did Mudder have to do with the new elementary school, Hotchkiss asked?
"Through his work (during the reorganization years of the 1960s), our school district is the size that it is and allows us to have this tax base," Hotchkiss said. "Without his work, we would not have what we have here at Freeman Public Schools."
Finally, Hotchkiss offered sincere thanks to the people that make up the Freeman School District, and became emotional when he talked about the process that led to the new Freeman Elementary.
"I would like to especially thank the community for the courtesy and hospitality that was afforded me �"
He then paused for some time before noting that - even from those who didn't fully support the project - at no time was the dissent personal toward him or the larger school district.
"That meant a great deal to me," Hotchkiss continued. "It's been an unbelievable experience and a lot of fun."
More from the dedication ceremony
Hotchkiss' comments were just part of Saturday afternoon's dedication ceremony.
Others spoke too, including Gerald "Jerry" Johnson, CEO of G.A. Johnson.
"I wish I had the keys, 'cause I'd give them to Don," Johnson said; Hotchkiss then spontaneously stood up, handed Johnson the keys that had been in his pocket, who then handed them back.
Johnson went on:
"It was not without its challenges meeting this tight schedule," he said. "The weather has been the most challenging; I swear it rained every other day."
Johnson said working with the subcontractors involved in the process was "a great opportunity," and he commended the school district for choosing to move forward with what was a costly energy plan in geothermal, but one that will see great savings.
"Your facility is outstanding in its energy efficiency," Johnson said.
Comments on Saturday also came from school board president Darnell Tschetter:
"We'd like to accept this building and thank the people who put all the hard work in (to make it possible)," he said. "I think you'll be impressed; I know I am."
Elementary Principal Ryan Mors accepted the building on behalf of the staff, and fifth-grader Samatha Schrag - vice president of the student council - offered these brief but important words.
"On behalf of the students at Freeman Elementary I accept this building," Schrag said.
The dedication ceremony also included music from the Freeman High School band, which played both the national anthem and "Joyous and Ever Loyal," the school song.
Mors led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and Rev. Stephen Roussos of Freeman's Missionary Church gave both an invocation and a benediction.
Also, a 6-minute PowerPoint presentation assembled by Jill Aanenson offered a month-by-month look at the project through photos.
Aging building prompts board to take action
The new Freeman Elementary school was built to replace the structure on Wipf Street that has served students at Freeman Public for the past 84 years.
The two-story brick structure opened in 1925 as the only building used by the Freeman School District, and became Freeman Elementary when the current junior-senior high school building opened in 1975.
School officials began looking at the longevity of that building several years ago when ongoing fire code violations were becoming more and more of a concern, although an engineering study revealed that it remained structurally sound.
Still, board members voiced concern over spending what could have amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars on the upkeep of a building that was closing in on the 100-year mark.
The first serious mention of a new facility came in July of 2007 when the board began weighing the cost of upkeep against the cost to start from scratch.
"At some point somebody's got to have some vision and say that building has done its duty," said then-board member Doug Uecker.
The following month the board agreed to take a hard look at what a new elementary school would mean in terms of dollars for both the district and its taxpayers, acknowledging the project could not move forward without support from the tax base.
In October of 2007 the board met with financing firm D.A. Davidson to discuss funding the project through a combination of bonds and capital outlay certificates, and also with three architectural firms who presented how they would proceed with designing / building a new school.
In November of 2007 the board voted unanimously to hire Koch Hazard Architects and called for plans for a new Freeman Elementary.
In late 2007 a building committee made up of elementary staff, school administration and community residents was formed.
In February 2008 the board set a $3.98 million bond election that asked for a $1.40/$1,000 valuation tax increase district-wide.
The March 25, 2008 bond election passed overwhelmingly, 599-237.
In August 2008 the board accepted a low bid from G.A. Johnson that included a geothermal heating system, and late that month groundwork began.
The result of all of it is a 49,000 square-foot school that is physically linked to the junior-senior high school through the FHS gym.
In addition to offices, restrooms and a large commons area, Freeman Elementary includes two classrooms for each grade level, as well as rooms for Title I and special education. The new building also includes two computer labs, a centrally-located library, an auxiliary gymnasium and locker rooms.
