Wrenshall News: Progress at the school

For many families, summer is looking a little different this year. Many camps are canceled along with many of the usual structured activities. For me and my 3- and 5-year-olds, this means that news of a skid steer, jackhammer, and telehandler doing construction work nearby is a morning outing. Construction at Wrenshall school is in full swing and for those who need a program on the calendar, I highly recommend it.

My husband, Janaki Fisher-Merritt, is on the school board, and while I’ve dutifully tuned in to his updates about the project, the appearance of machines made me pay attention with more active listening: “The project is to improve indoor air quality and remove asbestos from the building,” he said. “What that means in practical terms is that we are overhauling the heating system and putting in energy efficient boilers. There were a lot of different systems throughout the building before and they didn’t play well together. We weren’t able to control heat evenly throughout the school. This new system also allows us to bring in fresh air from outside that will tremendously improve the air quality for our students, teachers, and staff.”

Most of the work will be taking place behind the scenes, but the drastic construction on the south wall, which the boys and I witnessed this week, was needed in order to put in a new insulated wall and windows. Along with new ductwork throughout the building, classrooms will have new LED lighting with occupancy detectors that will cut down on electricity use in the building.

While this project was planned well before the global pandemic, I asked about the timing given that indoor air quality is at the top of many people’s minds: “It couldn’t have been better timing as we will now have the ability to move fresh air through classrooms,” Janaki said. “So much of transmission risk is airborne, so we want to be decreasing that risk as much as we can. This project was needed before coronavirus but the new reality underscores that need in a major way.”

Unfortunately, the global pandemic also affects supply issues. While the school was able to start construction early because of the state’s shelter-in-place warning and complete the asbestos removal ahead of schedule, some of the materials needed to finish the project are delayed due to factory shutdowns, and there will be a modified schedule for the project’s completion.

“We’ll be able to work around the final phase construction,” Janaki said. He is hoping that October will see the finishing touches. “The mechanical system from the 1960s is not something I will miss, and this is going to be a substantial makeover for the building both functionally and aesthetically.”

In the first couple months of the pandemic I was like a lot of folks who put their nervous energy into house projects. Being home more meant I took stock of my space and took time to create an environment that was functional and enjoyable to be in. While the school board had plans for the overhaul of the school’s air quality months before the world was hit with coronavirus, it seems fitting that the project is happening now. I am a firm believer in taking care of what you have and I am proud to live in a community that is investing in one of its most important assets.

If you have Wrenshall-related news to share, email or call Annie at [email protected] or 218-310-4703.