Many thanks and gratitude to the community's voters for approving the 2025-26 district budget last week and for the continued support of our schools.
Last week, we opened bids from six contractors for the future PK-1 school, along with an addition of four classrooms and renovations at MIW. I am pleased to announce that all bids came in under budget and the low bidder goes to the Board this week for approval and subsequent execution of a contract. Site work will officially begin in July for construction of the school, which is expected to take 18 months to complete. As we begin this next phase of the One Campus project, I referenced previously that we are working on a parking plan that we had hoped would be finalized by the end of the school year. However, some items will require more discussion with the newly identified contractor before we can communicate this plan broadly. Please look for more details in the weeks leading up to school resuming at the end of summer.
On June 12, about 100 people gathered on site for the new PK-1 school groundbreaking ceremony. The GMS jazz band and MIW chorus performed musical numbers for attendees, followed by photo-ops complete with "gold" shovels and (of course) celebratory cake and ice cream. During my comments at the groundbreaking ceremony, I shared words from the book If I Built a School, with our hopes and our dreams etched in this passage:
“My school will amaze you. My school will astound. By far the most fabulous school to be found. Perfectly planned and impeccably clean. On a scale, 1 to 10, it’s more like 15. And learning is fun in a place that’s fun, too. If I built a school, that’s just what I’d do!”
The book’s author, Chris Van Dusen, hand wrote this to me on the cover page back in 2019: “To Mr. Porter and MSAD #51— Dare to Dream.” Indeed we have. And our dream has come true.
As we fast-approach the close out of the 2024-25 school year on Tuesday, I wish to extend my very best to all students, staff, parents, and guardians for a great summer ahead. See you back on September 2!