T-R PHOTO BY ADAM SODDERS - Work continues on Phase II of the Marshalltown High School Roundhouse project. District Buildings and Grounds Director Chuck Springer offered an update on the construction of the new wrestling and gym facilities being built on the north side of the Roundhouse at Monday’s Marshalltown School Board meeting.

Passersby driving on South 3rd Avenue near Marshalltown High School have seen new structures springing up in recent months during Phase II construction at the Roundhouse.

Marshalltown Schools Buildings and Grounds Director Chuck Springer offered an update to the Marshalltown School Board Monday on the work being done and next steps.

“The timeline has not changed,” Springer said of substantial completion expected Nov. 28. He said students should be able to use the facilities by Dec. 1.

Springer said that schedule will continue to stand “unless we get some significant weather issues or things that we don’t have control over.”

District Superintendent Theron Schutte said even weather issues will have less impact at this stage of construction.

“They don’t anticipate any further changes now that they have an enclosed space,” he said.

Springer showed images of the north and south sides of the north wall currently under construction. He also showed the progress on the gymnasium and wrestling room entrance areas.

He said concrete for the wrestling room was poured recently.

“It’s all been smoothed out, it was an excellent pour,” Springer said.

Upcoming progress will include the installing of a loading dock wall, as well as more concrete pouring.

“The week of (July) 30, they’re doing to do the slab pour for the gym floor,” Springer said.

Board member Ross Harris asked Springer about parking space for students during the upcoming school year. Many construction-related items are currently being stored in the north parking area at the high school.

“We will relocate anything that’s stored (there),” Springer said. “We’ll get everything cleaned up, get it out of there.”

He and Schutte said district administrators and board members will be able to take a tour of the construction site Thursday, provided good weather.

The cost of Phase II is estimated at about $7 million and the project bid was given to Ball Team Construction LLC of Urbandale in September of 2017.

In other business

Student handbooks for the upcoming 2018-19 school year were approved in a 6-1 vote Monday evening. The dissenting vote came from board member Mike Miller, who said he wanted to see more language on student behavior and discipline.

“I think that (the handbooks) dance around student expectations for behavior and performance,” he said.

Schutte said there will be discussions in the future about adding such language to handbooks.

The unanimously approved Really Great Reading curriculum materials for district special education students in the amount of $40,534.60.

The board approved the State of Iowa Auditor’s Office to conduct the Fiscal Year 2018 audit, pending a formal written approval to cease the contract with Nolte, Cornman and Johnson PC.

According to a letter from the state auditor’s office, the cost of the audit will be between $26,000-$29,000.

The 2018-19 bus driver and monitor handbooks, as well as the student transportation handbooks, were also discussed by the board with few changes noted from last year. The handbooks will be up for approval at the next board meeting.

The next Marshalltown School Board meeting is set for 5 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Central Administration Office, 1002 S. 3rd Ave.

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Contact Adam Sodders at

(641) 753-6611 or asodders@timesrepublican.com