District outlines summer 2025 building projects, geothermal phases at Irondale and Highview

Darren Johnson, the district’s executive director of school management, told the Mounds View School Board on March 6 that the district’s 2025 summer operations program will include building-wide painting, curb and sidewalk repairs, rotating seal-coating and restriping of parking lots, and cafeteria flooring replacement at Pinewood, Island Lake and Snail Lake schools.

Johnson said casework and cabinetry replacements are planned districtwide, and Turtle Lake will begin a phased library renovation that includes new bookshelves and carpet. At Irondale High School he described the final phase (phase 2) of a multi-year geothermal project: installation of underground wells on the building’s east side, tying a heat-exchange system into the existing mechanical systems, and completion of science and art classroom remodels (new casework, flooring, lighting and paint). Johnson said Irondale’s phase 2 has an anticipated completion date of mid‑August 2025.

Highview Middle School will begin phase 1 of its geothermal work this summer with replacement of domestic water distribution lines, drilling for two wells and conversion of boilers from steam to hot water; that Highview project has an expected completion date of August 2026. Johnson thanked Chris Paquette and the building-and-grounds and custodial teams for their coordination and work, noting crews have already been active removing snow after recent storms.

Board members expressed appreciation for operations staff and the planning work; no formal action was taken at the March 6 meeting — staff presented the project list as a preview of summer work.