The school district’s renovations will be finished during the summer of 2026. The current projects are renovations to the 300-400 halls, a new field house and CTE addition.
“It will be completed in phases,” superintendent Kyle Lynch said. “The final completion of all should be ready for the 2026-27 school year.”
Health sciences teacher Sara Nagy said the CTE renovations and construction will greatly benefit the students at SHS.
“Students will have the benefit once construction is finished,” Nagy said. “They will be able to use hands-on equipment and be able to train in the new assimilation lab.”
Principal Erik Kirkpatrick said the CTE renovations will help prepare graduates for their futures.
“The ultimate goal is that we prepare our CTE students with exceptional skills that will give them a leg up on the competition in an ever-changing and challenging world that awaits them after they leave us,” Kirkpatrick said. “We have heard from countless industry-based folks who are so excited for the opportunity to hire and train our Seminole students.”
Agriculture teacher Chad Orum said he is excited to finally be able to have his own classroom and be able to increase the number of students he teaches.
“To be able to demonstrate and instruct students is a really great advantage,” Orum said. “It gives us as teachers the opportunity and versatility to teach the students how and why we teach.”
During the waiting process, classrooms in the 300 and 400 halls are experiencing situations without doors, windows and doorknobs.
“It’s not much of a difficulty,” education teacher Jody Steele said, “but it does limit our privacy. If the unthinkable might happen (lock down, etc), I would shove all of my furniture and cabinets to block the door and protect our students.”
Students and teachers do not have access to restrooms on the 400 hall.
“It is very inconvenient,” senior Alberto Loya said. “I have to walk from the end of the 400 hall toward the 100 boys restroom, and sometimes I feel like I’m not going to make it.”
Health sciences teacher Ashley Danley said there’s limited parking due to the construction.
“The parking spots closest to the doors are near the construction site which means I could risk getting a flat tire,” Danley said. “I’m not taking the chance of parking in those spots. I would rather walk through the parking lot.”
The new walls in the 300 and 400 halls are also causing sound issues as upper insulation was not installed and classrooms can clearly hear what happens on the other side of the walls.
“Despite the disruption, it does give us the occasional laugh,” Steele said. “I could only imagine how the others must feel about what they hear from here.”
The construction and renovation will continue for two more years.
“In 2023,the voters of Seminole passed a bond election to fund the $25 million project,” Lynch said. “We are blessed to live in a community that prioritizes our youth and values our schools.”
