New construction evident as BPSD builds toward bright future

(Published Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007 in Examiner-Enterprise)

Within the Bartlesville Public School District , there is little doubt we are building a bright future.

The evidence is readily available on the Bartlesville High School campus, where stellar new facilities such as the Fine Arts Center, the BHS Fieldhouse and the Science Wing have sprung up in recent years. Ongoing projects include the new library/media center, the state-of-the-art heating and cooling system, and the fantastic connecting link.

It's a great time to be a Bruin.

Off of the BHS campus, plenty of work has been done as well. Several restrooms at the Bartlesville Mid-High School have been refurbished while Richard Kane Elementary School has undergone a tremendous makeover.

Just last spring, Kane suffered extensive flood damage after a corroded water pipe burst underneath the school. Classes had to be relocated to three area churches for several days as the cleanup effort unfolded. While classes finally resumed at the Kane building, once the summer vacation began, there was more work to be done. Carpet was put in throughout the building to replace the damaged material while new cabinets, sinks and other fixtures were installed as well. Old wallpaper was removed before the walls were newly textured and then supplied with a fresh coat of paint.

“It was a terrible thing that happened,” says Kane principal Beth Cook of the flood damage to her school. “But now, we have a beautiful facility.

“The building really looks wonderful.”

Plenty of work went into the Kane makeover. Teachers, staff members and volunteers toiled around the clock to make certain the building was ready in time for the start of the 2007-08 academic year on Aug. 15. Head custodian Jim Walker worked 12-hour days to ensure students returned to the best possible school surroundings.

“The last piece of carpet was laid the Friday before school started and the last cabinet went in the Monday before school started,” notes Cook. “But we made it.”

At Bartlesville High School , the beginning of the new school year had to be pushed back from Aug. 15 to Aug. 20 as construction projects continued. While we certainly didn't welcome the delay, we greatly anticipate the new additions to the BHS campus. Though work is still being done on the heating and cooling system in the main portion of the building, all of the classroom spaces being utilized have air-conditioning. Once the new system is completely in place, it will be a tremendous upgrade over the previous one, which hadn't seen extensive work since the 1960s. The new system will ensure comfortable conditions throughout all of the buildings on the BHS campus regardless of what temperatures Mother Nature bestows upon us.

The connecting link will help everyone who visits the BHS campus avoid harsh conditions. No longer will students and teachers have to venture outside to access different buildings on campus such as the Fine Arts Center and the BHS Fieldhouse. The connecting link will allow them covered access to all of the fine facilities within the BHS complex.

The library/media center will be located in the heart of the main BHS building. It should fast become a source of immense pride for all of those who call themselves Bruins as it will mix cutting-edge technology with the colorful tradition of the school's past. Located where the old auditorium used to be, it will feature a vast array of books, a computer lab, an alumni archive room and an LCD screen upon which scenes of Bartlesville pride can be displayed.

The library/media center, the connecting link, and the heating and cooling system – all soon to be fine additions to the BHS campus – were made possible by the $30.5 million school bond issue which passed in 2001.

In the near future, progress made possible by the $29.95 million bond issue, which passed in May, will begin to be seen. Classrooms will be added at three elementary schools – Ranch Heights , Wayside and Woodrow Wilson – which lie within growth areas of Bartlesville . The bustling Mid-High will expand as well.