Collage of facilities in need of replacement

THE NEED

These are old and deteriorating buildings that need to be repaired and updated for the sake of protecting the community's investment.

Our schools are aging and in need of extensive repairs.

It has been more than 40 years since residents of the Yellow Medicine East School District supported school facility updates through a bond referendum. As a result, the district has made only necessary updates through its annual long-term facility maintenance funds.

Except for a 2019 gym addition (funded by a donation from a community member), the schools both date from 1930 to 1980. The oldest sections from 1930 and the 1950-60’s have extensive accessibility, life safety, deferred maintenance and educational deficiencies.

The most urgent facility needs:

Classrooms and support spaces are too small.
Electric and plumbing systems are failing.
Windows and roofs are leaking.
Seals and finishes on windows and doors are beyond repair.
Many student lockers are broken and unusable.
School entrances do not offer a secure check-in and welcoming environment.

Specific, daily examples:

Sewer pipes are disintegrating, and students regularly encounter bad odors throughout the schools. The cost to investigate and repair these issues is far too expensive.
Early childhood and elementary students are required to walk outside and down the stairs - in all weather conditions and at least twice daily - to the middle/high school for meals and indoor recess.
To travel from one end of the MS/HS building to another, students and staff with physical challenges must use two elevators and multiple ramps.
Once visitors enter the school, there is no restriction on access throughout the building. Elementary guests must travel to the school office in the middle of the school to be welcomed.

Some areas of the schools will receive updates and others will be repurposed:

Updated 4th and 5th grade Classrooms to Part of the remaining structure will be updated to accommodate 4th & 5th grade classrooms.
Espeland Gym will be updated to meet modern accessibility standards and HVAC will be replaced
Updated Locker Rooms
Track will be replaced
Update locker rooms to increase accessibility and overall performance
Convert the existing cafeteria into a new wrestling room
Convert the existing kitchen to a new fitness room
Convert salvaged space from the existing fitness and /Head Start space into a new art classroom
Update the Little Theater for accessibility and lighting/sound

Our students deserve a PreK-12 educational experience equal to their peers in neighboring school districts and program spaces that inspire them to become career and college ready.

Glass block and single pane windows let in outside air.

Asbestos tiles in classrooms

Did You Know?

Investing in the facility:

Updates the schools, setting them up for many years of future use.
Reduces operating costs, leaving more dollars for educational programs.
Retains and recruits staff, who otherwise might be lured to districts with better facilities.

Not investing in the facility:

Facilities challenges will not go away.
Excessive repair costs for some items could come from the general fund, reducing funds available for educational programs that benefit students.
The cost for repairs and maintenance will be higher if they are delayed, due to inflation.