Hays Middle, O'Loughlin Elementary projects on schedule

By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post

Both the Hays Middle School and O'Loughlin Elementary School construction projects are on schedule.

The Hays Post accompanied several board members on a tour of the two project sites on Nov. 12.

The former high school, at 2300 E. 13th, is being renovated into a new middle school.

That $6.1 million project is supposed to be finished by the end of the year, with students and staff moving into the building in January.

Walls have been removed to combine two classrooms into one with acompanying collaboration rooms. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

The renovations include moving some classroom walls to create larger classrooms and adding collaboration rooms.

New flooring is being installed, lockers are being painted and repaired, and other cosmetic improvements are being done. Work on the flooring has started, and about half of the school's lockers have been painted.

All of the lockers are being painted in the new middle school. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — All of the lockers are being painted in the new middle school. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Hays USD 489 board member Allen Park, left, and board member-elect Craig Pallister, right, in front of new girls' and boys' restrooms that have been added to the Hays Middle School athletic wing. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — Hays USD 489 board member Allen Park, left, and board member-elect Craig Pallister, right, in front of new girls' and boys' restrooms that have been added to the Hays Middle School athletic wing. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Additional boys' and girls' bathrooms were also added in the athletics wing.

The framing of the rooms has been completed, but wiring and work in the ceilings are still underway. Painting and flooring in the renovated rooms still need to be completed.

Hays High students will still use the former high school wood shop. They will walk a short distance from the new high school to the former building for woods classes. The former ag classroom will be used as a lecture classroom space for the high school woods program.

The high school class is separated from the new middle school by a locked door accessible with a key card.

The former high school metals shop will become the new Hays Middle School wood shop, providing students with much more space than their current classroom. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

The former high school metals shop will become the middle school's new wood shop. Superintendent Ron Wilson said the middle school students will have much more space in the new wood shop compared to the current middle school.

The cabinets were ripped out of the old art room and the floor redone and walls painted. New cabinets will be added. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — The cabinets were ripped out of the old art room and the floor redone and walls painted. New cabinets will be added. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Corridor under renovation in the new middle school. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — Corridor under renovation in the new middle school. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Improvements to this Family and Consumer Science Room are nearing completion. The Hays USD 489 staff completed some renovations in rooms such as this that did not require extensive work. This work was done with capital outlay funds. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

The new middle school food serving area awaits new flooring. The cafeteria should provide much-needed additional space for the middle school, said Craig Pallister, retired principal and board member-elect. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — The new middle school food serving area awaits new flooring. The cafeteria should provide much-needed additional space for the middle school, said Craig Pallister, retired principal and board member-elect. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

To allow for move-in time, Hays Middle School students will have an extended Christmas break. HMS will not have classes on Dec. 18, 19 or Jan. 6. Other Hays schools will be in session on those days.

The middle school is planning an open house on Tuesday, Jan. 6, so students can see their new classrooms.

O'Loughlin Elementary School

Two additions, interior renovations and sewer improvements at O'Loughlin Elementary School are set to be completed by fall 2026.

The school will remain a three-section school, but it is getting a new cafeteria. Its gym now doubles as a cafeteria and auditorium.

The south-side addition will also include a new entrance and an art room.

The south addition to O'Loughin Elementary School will include a new cafeteria , which can be seen here. An art room will be further to the west. The new entrance is on the right. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — The south addition to O'Loughin Elementary School will include a new cafeteria , which can be seen here. An art room will be further to the west. The new entrance is on the right. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

A new drop-off area and drive are being added on the south side of the school to help relieve congestion on Hall Street during drop-off and pick-up times.

A new pick-up and drop-off area for O'Loughlin Elementary is being built to the south of the school. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

On the north side of the school, new classrooms are being added that will also serve as storm shelters. This includes a reinforced concrete ceiling. The O'Loughlin students currently have to shelter in the school's hallways.

This north classroom addition will double as a storm shelter. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post — This north classroom addition will double as a storm shelter. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post

Although work on the two additions continues, work inside the building has been suspended until this summer to allow for classes to continue as usual.

The O'Loughlin project had been budgeted at about $15 million. However, a camera survey of the pipes found sewage leaking underneath the school. Repairs to the sewer lines will cost about $1 million.

That brings the total cost for the O'Loughlin project to $16.8 million. The entire slate of bond projects remains on budget, according to school officials.

The sewer repairs are slated to be completed this summer.

The two largest of the bond projects have been completed: an addition at Roosevelt Elementary School and construction of the new Hays High School.

Once the current middle school is vacated, it will be renovated into a four-section elementary school, Felten Elementary School, which is scheduled to open for classes in fall 2026.

At that time, Wilson Elementary School will close as an elementary school, and the district plans to move administrative offices into the Wilson building.

The district plans to vacate the Rockwell Administration Center.

Although funds are in the bond projects budget to renovate Felten Elementary, work to convert Wilson into an administrative office would come from the capital outlay budget. A complete timeline for that work has not been announced.

The good weather this fall has helped keep the construction on schedule, Chance Conley, Nabholz Construction field engineer, said.

Conley moved his wife and children to Hays about two years ago when he was assigned to work on Hays USD 489 bond projects. He said he has enjoyed living and working in Hays. The couple just welcomed their third child.