Republic High School indoor athletic facility well on the way, Construction updates, retirements and future improvements discussed

An update was delivered on the construction of Republic School District’s indoor athletics facility at the board of education meeting on May 21, where Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jason Perkins presented photos of the soon-to-be complete complex.

That meeting also saw the board honor staff with the district who have or plan to retire from their positions at the end of the school year. Among them were Superintendent Matt Pearce, who has been with the district for more than 13 years and Sheryl Blankenship, who has been with the school district for 31 years as the executive administrative assistant.

The indoor athletics complex, approved with a 2025 ballot initiative, will feature more than 57,000 square feet of classrooms and facilities in addition to the completely indoor 120-yard-long turfed area. The complex will feature areas for choir, wrestling, JROTC and other team activities.

The building itself is well underway said Perkins, who showed pictures displaying that the walls and roof were up and that work was beginning on the components in the wing housing the classrooms.

“Now that we’re roofed in and dry, the progress on the inside is really faster than the progress on the outside,” said Perkins.

As for the academic wing, Perkins said that the windows have been installed and everything is airtight. Brick work has begun on the north and west side entrances.

In the facility, a mezzanine has been built to allow coaches to film practices or games conveniently. In addition, plywood has been fastened to the wall at both ends of the length of the field. The plywood will serve as a base for the orange and black barrier of padding on the wall to avoid injury from collision.

Perkins also explained that the community room was well on its way and should be able to hold about 150 people; he stated that the chamber of commerce already has interest in using the space. Perkins added that the community room has received a food-warming area, making it perfect for events.

Band room

In the band room, the entire first floor has been drywalled and is now climate controlled. The finish date is anticipated for the beginning of the school year, though it may be pushed back a week if necessary, said Perkins.

“We feel pretty confident that the turf space will be done in the winter and will be done before school starts, but the other pieces we’re still not sure on the timeline; we think it will be after Labor Day weekend,” said Perkins.

Middle school remodel

Perkins said that he expects that the remodels to the main set of bathrooms, the councilor’s office, the nurses' office and the main vestibule to be completed during the summer.

Also on the way is a new HVAC system that will move away from the electric models, commonly in use at the schools, and toward gas systems.

The assistant superintendent stated that, in phases, new flooring, ceiling grid, lighting, paint, windows, and furniture will be added in addition to updates in the hallways.

Retirements

The board honored retirees at the meeting as well, taking a moment for the district’s departing staff, which included Pearce and longtime board secretary Sheryl Blankenship, who had been with the district for more than 30 years.

The board honored Pearce with a Republic Tigers football and tickets to an upcoming Chiefs game. Pearce then posed for a picture with the board.

For the music lover in Blankenship, the board presented concert tickets and a poster detailing her “farewell tour.”

Each was given a round of applause after their name was read.

Baseball field upgrades

During Perkins’ report, he announced that he had been reviewing the needs of the district’s baseball and softball complex and that he recommends an upgrade to the facilities. He became interested in the idea following a survey result that found 80 percent of participants favor upgrades.

Perkins wants the board to consider converting the fields over to turf from the current grass and dirt stadiums. Other considered improvements included new backstop netting, field fencing, bullpens and batting cages.

The board said they are interested in the improvements to the 16-year-old complex and will likely discuss it further in another meeting.

Action items

The board also approved a few action items before the meeting was out, passing the following items.

-Tigers to Teachers, a tuition assistance for current STRIPES 360 employees pursuing a bachelor's in education with a completion date before spring 2028.

-High school course curriculum changes, the details of which were discussed at the previous meeting by Allison Dishman, executive director of secondary learning.

-The appointment of future Superintendent of Republic School District, Tyler Overstreet, to the Springfield Tax Increment Financing Commission.