Elementary school close to looking brand new

ISHPEMING — Yesterday we showed you some of the large renovations taking place at the Ishpeming Middle School and High School.

It’s been a busy summer for construction workers at all of the Ishpeming Community Schools. Parents, teachers and students will hardly believe their eyes once they walk into Birchview Elementary.

“We’ve had a lot of excitement from the staff. So much, especially at Birchview Elementary has changed,” said Business Manager Anthony Bertucci, “in essence, the school will be a brand new school; an enlarged cafeteria, all new restroom facilities. All of the classrooms have new flooring, new paint, new ceiling, new lights. Birchview will in essence on September 8th be a new school.”

The school will have a brand new and updated teacher’s lounge, and computer labs for the students as well. There’s still some work to do, but almost everything is nearing the final stages.

“Things are progressing nicely. We expect to have everything completed at Birchview Elementary for the start of school. We hope to be moving teachers into their classrooms next week.”

The financial source for the nine million dollar construction project between Birchview, Ishpeming Middle School and the Ishpeming High School is split up between two sources.

$7.84 million of the allocated money comes from a bond passed by voters, while the remaining $1.63 million comes from an energy conservation bond.

Business Manager Anthony Bertucci said that the project takes an already great school system and enhances it even more thanks to unbelievable community support.