Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Saline Area Schools outlines bond-funded additions, schedules public openings and preserves Crabtree Field history
Summary
Board staff described classroom additions, a small budget increase on a building addition, public opening dates for a STEAM center and weight room, and plans to preserve elements of Crabtree Field as part of ongoing bond work.
Saline Area Schools staff on Aug. 26 described progress on bond-funded construction projects, announced public opening events for newly completed spaces and said some elements of the Crabtree Field site will be retained while the field is reconfigured in the future.
A district staff member identified as Jackie told the board the district plans a public opening for the new STEAM center and weight room on Saturday, Sept. 27, and a short presentation to mark the final football season at Crabtree Field on Tuesday, Sept. 16, roughly at 5:30 p.m. Jackie said the district is preparing plaques that reference dedications to Jack Crabtree and Clem Corona from a prior ceremony in 2009.
The announcements came during a broader facilities update that included details about classroom additions at an elementary site (referred to in the meeting as Clark) and budget details for one building addition. A district presenter said the most recent estimate put the project about $65,000 over the printed budget. The presenter gave a rough comparison to earlier work that had a bid near $583 per square foot and said the current estimate is about $598 per square foot; the presenter described that change as a modest escalation compared with a prior bid two to three years earlier.
Board members and the superintendent discussed how construction will affect student movement and safety during the school year. The district said two classrooms and a resource room are being added near the commons and that the design will match existing district standards for finishes and carpet. The district also said a new occupational therapy room, bathroom and storage are included in plans for the addition.
On Crabtree Field, the district said the existing track must remain usable through the spring so middle school athletes can compete; as a result, staff described the track as a “non‑negotiable” item and said it will not be removed or gifted. The district said some field assets that have sentimental value — for example, the scoreboard and stadium letters — may be offered to the foundation or preserved, and that letters and other memorial items will be saved.
Design work for school courtyards and possible pollinator or garden features remains under consideration. A staff speaker said the district has reviewed examples from other schools and will weigh practicality, student use and maintenance needs; no final decision had been made.
The presenter also said the district expects the high school gym and adjoining spaces to have operational cooling by Tuesday, Sept. 2, and said punch‑list work over the weekend would bring those systems online. Superintendent Kowalski thanked staff and highlighted a successful first week of school as construction and opening activities continued.
The district did not present changes to bond scope or final contracts during the meeting; the board took no separate vote on the projects at the Aug. 26 meeting.
