Royalton School Upgrades-Expansion Remain on Schedule

ROYALTON - Royalton students will be heading back to school a week later than usual this fall.

September 12th will be the first day of classes for Kindergarten through 8th grade and September 13th is when high school students will return for class. The last day of school will be Friday, June 2nd.

Superintendent Jon Ellerbusch says they approved the later start last winter so crews would have more time to finish some updates to their buildings. In January 2015, Royalton voters approved a $26.1 million referendum for building expansions and improvements.

"We're still on schedule to start on September 12th. There's still a lot to be done, but we just had a meeting this morning and everything is looking good," Ellerbusch says.

Repairs are being done to building floors and ceilings, sidewalks, bathrooms and temperature controls. Additions at the Royalton Middle and High School include a new STEM lab (science, technology, engineering and math), an automotive shop, a new gym, a theater stage, a remodeled lunchroom and adding a greenhouse for agricultural science.

Ellerbusch says all building updates should be done by next year.

"We'll have a lot of the project completed by the beginning of this school year but about another half to be completed around January 1st, 2017."

Some fall sports will be impacted by construction. Ellerbusch says a school volleyball tournament had to temporarily use a court in Pierz and the football team isn't expected to have a locker room for the first few weeks of practice. Players will need to bring their equipment back home each day.

For more on the renovations, visit the Royalton Schools Website.