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Work has started on the New Bremen school's $2.1 million stadium and track renovation project.
NEW BREMEN - New Bremen school board members got an update Tuesday night on the project timeline for upgrades to the stadium and track, with work underway and demolition complete.
"In our facility updates, we have lots of those going on right now as you look around campus. The track and stadium demolition is complete. It kind of looks like a dirt track out there," Superintendent Jason Schrader said at the board's regular meeting on Tuesday.
The project, which has been a topic of discussion for several months, is estimated to cost $2,105,883, including both phases of the track and stadium.
The district approved a $920,000 contract with Bruns Construction to update the track in December. The project includes milling the existing track and base; installing a new stone sub-base, asphalt base and polyurethane impervious track surface; installing new field event approaches with an enlarged high jump area; and installing a second pole vault pit.
At the November meeting, board members awarded a $1,185,883 contract to H.A. Dorsten Inc. of Minster to update the stadium. The second phase includes new concrete walks and a 4-foot, black chain-link fence at the track perimeter with caps, a new 6-foot aluminum fence and brick piers along the east side, new concrete under the bleachers, new lighting and paint under the bleachers, additional lighting for the press box signage, new LED lighting in the concession building, new sideline turf and a new flagpole location.
Among other updates, Schrader said crews installed additional tile drainage improvements. The concrete curbing around the track is scheduled for this week, he said, and crews are painting the home bleacher supports. Electrical upgrades in the concession building are nearing completion.
Work has started on the New Bremen school's $2.1 million stadium and track renovation project.
In other district upgrades, the second phase of the VAV box replacement for the high school HVAC system is complete, he said. Preparations are complete to begin repairs of the sewer lines under the northeast section of the high school academic wing.
Schrader also said the district is in the preliminary stages of discussing potential upgrades to the high school baseball and softball complex. No decisions have been made.
In other business, board members heard that the elementary and high school principals calculated a preliminary score of the district's performance index as 109.2.
The performance index, through the state report card, measures the test results of every student, not just those who score proficient or higher. Schools and districts receive points on the index for every student who takes a test. The higher the performance level on the state tests, the more points awarded toward the index score. The index score is divided by the maximum possible score. Each year the maximum possible score is determined by the average of the highest 2% performance index scores in the state, according to the Ohio Department of Education.
The score isn't verified yet through the department and will most likely be available in September.
The initial estimate is based on state test scores from this spring, elementary principal Diane Kramer said.
"Again, it's just preliminary, but it's pretty close to what we actually think it'll be," she said. "(We're) super proud of all of our students, our staff for all the hard work that they put in."
Board members also:
• approved the resignation of junior high intervention specialist Janelle Rinderle.
• approved hiring Emma Schmitmeyer as a high school math teacher and Jennifer Whitlatch as a junior high intervention specialist teacher.
• approved a slew of substitute positions.
• heard the district ended the 2025-2026 school year with 814 students.
• heard a draft of the district focus with a honed interest on practicing safety drills, emphasizing nurturing the holistic development of students, reviewing the existing diagnostic screen and math curriculum, and monitoring technology programming.
• went into executive session to discuss matters required to be kept confidential by federal or state law. No action was anticipated.
The board meets next at 6 p.m. July 22 in the high school library.
