Tours are being given to select groups of people of the new high school and career academy for the Greene County School District this week.

The district’s owner representative Sam Harding pointed out various collaboration spaces within the high school wing. Harding says these spaces will allow students to work in small and medium sized groups in common areas, while also having the availability of using technology to create educational experiences. Within the high school wing is a “Success Center” for those students that need additional support for learning. 

As for the career academy, there are four laboratory areas, including construction, welding, advanced manufacturing and agricultural technology. Harding says these areas are being furnished by Iowa Central Community College, including $500,000 for milling machines for welding. There are also four classrooms in the academy, including agriculture, auto-cab, Pillar Technology for computer coding and a health classroom. 

The gym will hold 1,500 spectators, along with two roll-away basketball hoops that are donated by American Athletic Incorporated/Spaulding. It will also hold three full-size wrestling mats. Harding says the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa High School Girls Union contacted the district when the project was passed by the voters specifically to provide input so that the district could host postseason sports in the west central region of the state.

Harding notes there are about 200 security cameras throughout the facility, each wing can be electronically locked at any time, and each entrance is secured. 

The select groups of people include representatives from the school board, Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation, committee members with the “Our Kids, Our Future-Greene County” and the Greene County Board of Supervisors. Grow Greene County pledged $4.5 million to the performing arts center and athletic facilities, and the Supervisors committed up to $5 million toward the career academy. Supervisor Vice-Chair Dawn Rudolph describes her excitement as the project nears the end.

“Well it’s very impressive and it’s coming along. I’m excited. I think it’s going to be really neat and I hope the students are excited as well. It’s state-of-the-art. We’ll be the envy (of a lot of other districts), which will be nice. It’s impressive, it’s just really impressive.”   

Harding is confident the high school and career academy will be ready by the time the school year starts on August 24th, with the gym to open soon after and the auditorium in October. He says the district will take ownership of the facility on Wednesday and teachers will be allowed inside the 127,000-square-foot facility on August 17th. Check out Raccoon Valley Radio’s Facebook page for additional photos of the facility.