Students and staff are equally ecstatic to start taking advantage of the host of new features and upgrades within the space.

District Superintendent Joseph Reyda mentioned that due to the long period of time since any major renovations were performed to the cafeteria, necessary projects began to compile for the space. District board members eventually decided that it was necessary to dedicate funding from three different sources towards updating the cafeteria, said Reyda.

Reyda mentioned that some of the most unseen parts of the renovations include a new unit ventilator on the roof, new ductwork throughout the entirety of the cafeteria, and a new ceiling. Reyda noted that these projects specifically were covered by funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. ARPA was put into law in March 2021, with the goal of aiding educators, individuals, local governments, and businesses that were negatively impacted economically by the effects of COVID-19. Part of ARPA included funding which was distributed to school districts in 2022 as stimulus money, and aimed at helping districts continue operations safely. These three renovations alone transformed the space, with the new unit ventilator even bringing air conditioning to the cafeteria, said Reyda.

These were far from the only changes performed to the space. Reyda noted that new wall tiles, three electronic displays, and new ceiling lighting are all some of the new enhancements to the room as well. These enhancements were financially covered by the 2023 Capital Improvement Project. The capital improvement project is a $2.43 million plan designed by the school district, and has the goal of completing many district projects that will provide long-term improvements to instruction and safety. The other plans outlined in the project include elevator upgrades, classroom HVAC updates, and improvements to the high school track. The program funding comes from a reserve created by the school, meaning the plan has no additional burden to taxpayers in the district.

A view of the renovated cafeteria, including one of the new electronic displays.

Plans for the cafeteria project began in 2022 and construction began two years later, according to Reyda. Reyda stated that construction crews have been hard at work over the last two summers, with work recently being finished completely. Reyda did note some challenges that emerged during the process of the project. Any additional problems only increased the amount of time that the cafeteria is not in service for students, making it essentially to minimize issues. Luckily, the school had tremendous support from the fantastic workers at the Young and Wright architectural firm, who managed issues to ensure the project was continuing smoothly, according to Reyda. Reyda also gave thanks to Director of Facilities Steven Asel, who continuously coordinated with architects and contractors to keep the project moving in a timely manner.

Reyda stated that another Capital Project Plan for 2026 is going to be presented to the community at the budget meeting in May. This will include some of the next important projects for the school. These projects include decommissioning the Maple Grove wastewater treatment plant and repairing a portion of the building’s roof. These plans total about $2.4 million, which will continue to bring improvements for future generations of students.

Students have been overjoyed at the new renovations, according to Reyda. The school ensured that these renovations would bring direct benefits to the students. Reyda stated that students have been most excited about the new larger lunch tables, which allow up to twelve students to sit together at one time. Students have also enjoyed the new large red dragon logo on the wall, said Reyda. The renovations seem to have boosted the student’s appreciation of the space and strengthened the showing of pride for the district.

District Superintendent Joseph Reyda poses with the sign in the upgraded school cafeteria.