Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Building no longer in use and sitting empty
H-M-S junior high students await dismissal on the final day of school in May. The former elementary building in Hartley housed grades 5-8 last year while new middle school in Sanborn was being built.
An iconic building in Hartley might soon hit the dirt.
The Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn school board on Monday agreed to investigate the demolition of the former elementary building. The decision came following a recommendation by Superintendent Patrick Carlin, which was unanimously supported by the board.
"At the current time, we have no interest from anyone regarding the old elementary building," Carlin said. "In the past year we've had two different people contact us for potential development, but both of them have withdrawn or not shown any further interest."
The building has sat empty since last May. It housed grades TK-4 for several years prior to the opening of the new elementary school in 2020. Grades 5-8 called the facility home last year while the new middle school building in Sanborn was being constructed.
The two-story portion of the building was built in 1936 while the one-story addition on the west side was constructed in 1955. Architects have deemed the facility functionally obsolete and in need of extensive renovations to adhere to modern standards.
The board had little to say about the building's potential removal.
"We should probably start trying to get a plan in place and start progressing to get that into fruition," said Board Member Scott Vollink.
• Enrollment hike greatest in decade
In other business, Carlin shared some good news about H-M-S's 2021-22 certified enrollment. It's up 30 students from last year to 642, which is the greatest increase in the past decade. The previous watermark was an 18-student jump in 2014-15.
"It's been a very positive year," he said. "I think it's a culmination of things. We've got a lot of good stuff going on."
Carlin pointed to the district's recently-upgraded facilities and great staff as potential reasons for the enrollment boost. H-M-S's certified enrollment 10 years ago was 627.
"It's really nice to have this payoff, at least for one year," he said. "Up 30 kids [from the previous year] is amazing."
• Resignations, hires
Resignations were accepted from junior high football coaches Mark Japenga, Tom Lidiak and Jim Thomas. Others included: Anna Grillo, elementary associate; Kristina Bush, middle school associate; and Jade Gonnerman, middle school associate.
Contracts were issued to: Jenni Van Otterloo, Title teacher; Michelle Essing, elementary associate; Nicole Philiph, middle school associate; and Grace Paulson, quiz bowl advisor.
