Wanda English Burnett, Editor

The exciting announcement of the beginning of a $20M project that will impact both the elementary and high school at South Ripley was made last Friday, May 16 as construction equipment moved in the background.

A convocation of students, staff, committees, board members and community leaders was held in the vicinity of the new construction on the east side of the high school with Superintendent Ted Ahaus saying, “We’re on the eve of a major project.” He cautioned the students that next year would be tough and asked for the patience of both students and staff as the project will be in full swing when they return in the fall. “The end result will be fantastic, it’s just going to be a mess in some respects until it is completed,” he noted.

The official groundbreaking ceremony took place complete with the band playing the South Ripley fight song, while students and staff clapped and sang along. Some staff members were wearing shirts that read, “Building for the future,” along with hard hats. Student council members from both schools were instrumental in the ceremony, turning dirt to officially signify the beginning of the construction phase.

Ahaus thanked everyone who has had a part in making the needed project a reality. He noted that in April of 2005 a task force was put in place with various community leaders, teachers, students, faculty and others involved. They included: Larry Armbrecht, Bill Clements, Charlie Cook, Ken Copeland, Nancy Durham, Bev Ester, Melanie Evans, Dick Gambrel, Natalie Gilpin, Laurie Gramaglia, Joe Halcomb, Kris Lafary, Barry Lauber, James Wm. Lemon, Randy McIntosh, Melvin Meisberger, Bob Meyer, Ellen Mulford, Jim Samples, Annette Sieverding, Linda Steinhauer, Pam Thomas, Holly Toops, and Steve Woolum.

These people spent numerous hours volunteering their efforts to find out what the needs of the school were and how they could be best implemented at the lowest cost to the taxpayer. The final solution was to renovate both existing facilities, and add a gymnasium.

Ahaus noted that a kindergarten wing with four classrooms will be added at the elementary to accommodate the state’s mandate of full day kindergarten. He said they experienced full day kindergarten this year without the addition and can now say first hand it is a much needed project.
Another great need saw by the task force was dedicated space for the junior high students. The new project will see an entire wing for these students separate from the high school students. There will be a much larger cafeteria with portable type seating, a new music facility with a modernized band room. A new science center will be complete with labs and updated, modernized equipment, an “outstanding” addition, according to Ahaus.

The media center will be completely overhauled with “Mrs. Strimple actually having room to be able to move around without running into things,” Ahaus noted as the students clapped. The new gymnasium will be on the southeast corner of the school property and will be able to accommodate activities such as sporting events as well as commencement exercises.

Ahaus spoke to the fact that the renovation/addition project will give the school new programming, better curriculum opportunities and “give it new life.” He said the projected completion date is August of 2009. He thanked the building corporation committee which consists of Phil King, president, Greg Dole, vice president, and Bonnie Jeffries, secretary/treasurer. Alan Welch has also served with this committee as a volunteer advisor.

Several of the present board members were in attendance at the ceremony: Jim Miller, Ralph Miller, Keith Mathews, Gil Landwehr, Randy McIntosh. Tim Taylor and Robert Garcia were not able to be present.

Ahaus thanked everyone involved and told the students, “This is about you. This is your school.” He told them to thank those on the committees that helped with the project, the school board members, but most of all the taxpayers, who have been so supportive of the project. “We didn’t have one phone call or one person who wrote saying they were opposed.” He finished by saying it was good to have the support of the community making this a very positive project that will impact education for those in the South Ripley School District for years to come.

WANDA ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTOS Pictured above South Ripley Superintendent Ted Ahaus addresses the student body at South Ripley High School, along with faculty and community members as construction sounds came from the background. The $20M renovation/addition project that includes both the elementary and high schools had the student council members celebrating in the photo on the bottom as balloons were released and student council presidents turned the first shovelful of dirt signifying the official beginning of construction.