Western High School groundbreaking kicks off renovations (with video interview)
Members of the Walled Lake School Board join Superintendent Kenneth Gutman as they officially kick off building renovations/additions by throwing dirt on Wednesday, May 4. Left to right: Walled Lake School Board Secretary Craig Peterson; Kenneth Gutman, Superintendent of Schools; Christopher Titus, President of the Walled Lake School Board; Nancy van Leuwen, administrator of the Walled Lake School Board; Marc Siegler, Vice-Chair of the Walled Lake School Board. (Special for The Spinal Column Newsweekly/CHRIS WALL)
Superintendent Kenneth Gutman is all smiles describing how Western students, staff and community will benefit from the renovations and addition to Western High School on Wednesday, May 4 during the groundbreaking ceremony. (Special for The Spinal Column Newsweekly/CHRIS WALL)
The sun rose as silver shovels dumped dirt where the new academic wing will be built at Walled Lake Western High School on May 4. After voters passed the 2019 Building, Infrastructure and Equity Bond, work began to renovate the building back in 1967.
Students and staff will benefit from a 150,000 square foot addition that will include new classrooms, learning space and new administrative offices to be completed by fall 2024.
Walled Lake Schools Superintendent Kenneth Gutman and Director of Operations Bill Chatfield explained how the project came about through community support.
Walled Lake Western Principal Ali Hamka, teacher Krista Santana, rookie Michaela Rose Willingham and PTSA President Jenn Ludwig explained how the renovations and additional space will benefit all students.
“We’re really excited,” Gutman said. “We are grateful to our constituents and our community. We are going to have Walled Lake Western which makes other high schools in the world not even close to what we can offer our students. Walled Lake Northern is beautiful and Walled Lake Central is beautiful. We’re going to have some equity in our district and we’re really excited.
Walled Lake Western rookie Michaela Rose Willingham speaks at the groundbreaking ceremony. (Special for The Spinal Column Newsweekly/CHRIS WALL)
Construction started this spring and everything is going well. “Some of the challenges relate to the phasing of construction. You know we are going to build a 150.00 square foot addition at the same time as the school is going to the same site. So staggering construction and making sure that we keep our students, our staff, and our community safe, and making sure that we can finish this project on time is a challenge.
“I’ll tell you what,” Gutman said. “We couldn’t be more grateful to the parents of this community and understand that education is important to Walled Lake and it’s not just words. They vote for our bond proposal, and they take care of our children. We are simply grateful to them. »
It will be another busy summer of construction as bonding work is planned at Loon Lake Elementary, Keith Elementary and Oakley Park Elementary.