by the OUTLOOK’s Dave Schmidt

(11-21-24) As we approach the Holiday season the residents in the Celina School District are wondering why the athletic school facilities building project is in the ‘panic mode‘.

During the entire development of one of the largest building projects in the District, passing levies and the building process there have been major bumps along the way. It was decided at Monday night’s Celina BOE meeting that Superintendent Brooke Gessler hopes to have a community survey in place by January 1st to gather information on a master facilities plan that the school board members must have finalized by March.

What? This should have all been in place long before construction was even started.

RELATED:

(11-19-24) – Celina City Schools BOE Approves Tax Levy For New Building Construction

Ed Complex will be torn down to the Fieldhouse, which will be saved

( 5-5-21) – Historic Celina Fieldhouse And Stadium Not Going Anywhere After Building Levy Passes

In an email sent to SSN today (5-5-21) from Dr. Kenneth J. Schmiesing, Superintendent he confirmed the news-

The Fieldhouse is planned to continue to be used. Our plans included our building onto the north end of the Fieldhouse for updated ADA locker rooms which would serve both the basketball and football team’s needs.

RELATED:

But take a look at what has developed—

When Hans discovered a leak in the dam that held back the sea, he knew it had to be stopped. Because he couldn’t find help, he plugged up the leak himself and stood his ground for hours and hours

The new building effort was implemented by a Superintendent (Ken Schmiesing) and school board who suddenly jumped ship before the first building was completed. New school board members came in and were greeted by an interim superintendent (Brenda Boeke), her job was to be the ‘little Dutch Boy’ and not let the dam break. This school year a new superintendent is brought in just as the ‘Titantic‘ is about to approach the iceberg and basically told here you to go and fix it.

Her first step in attempting to put together a plan…Celina Superintendent Brooke Gessler called for the creation of a new business manager position.

Gessler told the Daily Standard –

“In our district, when I came in … I recognized a need to restructure. There are a lot of systems and processes that are not in place that benefit a district.

That person is going to be tasked with really getting some mechanisms and some structures in place so that we can assess where our spending is going, what our existing contracts (are),” she said. “When’s the last time we evaluated those existing contracts with vendors? What (does) our supply purchasing look like? Are we still getting the best prices? Are we over purchasing? Are we wasting materials?”

Her next move…The facilities director position presently held by Phil Metz will be eliminated once the new grades 7-12 building project is completed in 2027,

The question is why wait to make this change, this position calls for a qualified individual with a major building construction background, not an educator.

RELATED: Celina BOE Approves ‘Administration Shuffle’, Approves School Resource Officer …after he was reassigned from the intermediate principal/business manager to the newly created position of facilities director to guide the district through the $126.8 million building project.

During the building project process promises were made by school officialsto Celina citiens and now it looks like they will continue to be broken. This included the discovery in June by concerned citizens of a 600 seat auditorium being replaced by a lunch room/auditorium to save funds in the project.

Past mistakes of Celina Schools projects…

In 1964 the current high school was built….it included a combined stage and a small-size gym. Neither were made to serve the purpose needed of them. Over the past several years the auditorium at the Administration Building has been used to stage plays etc…it was built in the early 1900’s.

The choices being made will affect future Celina City School students and the community for many years, not just today.This building project should have been a time to celebrate new beginnings. Poor decisions and choices over the last five years have created a most expensive and a divisive mess in the community. Decisive leadership is needed now by the school administration and the board of education…confidence in both has withered away during this project.