“It’s a transformative period for Prescott. There are many things happening.”

Those were the words of Prescott School District Superintendent Dr. Rick Spicuzza at the regular monthly school board meeting, held Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the Prescott High School library.

District stau is busy working with contrac tor Market & Johnson on projects included in the $15 million referendum approved by voters in April. Spicuzza told the board that most of the infrastructure projects to invest in the district buildings will take place starting next June. However, because of supply chain issues, the district is working to order needed equipment and supplies now.

“We have started to order things that have pretty long supply chain issues, some of the panel and electric work, fuse boxes, things like that have been ordered,” he said.

The school board was scheduled for a work session Monday, Sept. 26 to talk about other initiatives Spicuzza introduced at the August board meeting.

Those included: Changing the high school from a five-peri od to a six-period day.

“It will expand some courses that have only been able to do two terms and not three,” said Spicuzza, noting that it would allow for 12 additional elective classes as well.

A study of outdoor facilities, which would include collaboration with the Coulee River Trail system and a look at the future of the track and football complex, now located adjacent to the Malone Intermediate School.

The board will look at district green space, with possible future proposals to move the track and football complex to land closer to the high school on Dexter Street.

The district isn’t able to run its own track invitational because of the size of the track, which is also deteriorating.

Spicuzza said last month that the district could rebuild and expand the track where it is or consider relocation.

“Our district track is deteriorating faster than anticipated,” Spicuzza said.

The board will be presented with information on outdoor facilities at other Middle Border Conference Schools.

A look at the district academic and learning model and alignment of middle school and intermediate school grade levels.

Spicuzza suggested last month that fourth and fifth grades should be housed at what is now the middle school building, which would allow grades six-eight to move into the larger intermediate school building. He said that studies conducted by the board have shown that the Prescott Middle School building should only house two grades.

“It is something that’s been the elephant in the room,” he told the board. “We have had two independent facility studies that have identified that the current middle school fa cility is viable, and we’re investing in and maintaining that. But it’s viable for two grade levels.”

The middle school, located at 125 Elm St. N., is the oldest of the district’s buildings.

On the flip side, the Malone Intermediate School, the former high school building, is much larger and more modern.

“The physical state of the building and space matches better with our middle school students,” said Spicuzza. “It impacts students’ learning and programming. We do not have flexibility for any collaboration space or small group instruction based on how the middle school building is situated. I believe that sixth, seventh and eighth grade are a best fit at the intermediate school." Administration would like the change made so that the buildings are switched around a year from now when students head back to school.

"In order to pull this ou and make sure we’re not underusing a facility, I believe that we should be planning for fall 2023 of making the swap,” he said.

Some changes would be needed at the intermediate school, such as the facilities garage being relocated to allow for construction of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) space.

While referendum dollars are being used for infrastructure improvement, the $1.167 million the district has set aside in its capital project fund can go toward changes needed in classrooms and educational space.

“The three buildings we’re investing in were all built in the 1960s or before,” Spicuz- za said. "We are in the best financial position the Prescott School District has been in in a long time. We have the ability to say, ‘How do we want to make sure that the learning environment matches the academic model?’” He said that in spite of the fact that the facilities – especially the middle school building – aren’t tailor-made for modern educational models, the district students excel. He hinted that the community will be pleased with state test results expected to be released at the end of this week.

“Structures, we believe, sometimes suppress the ability for us to enhance or provide new programming,” Spicuzza said.

Student rep

The board welcomed new student representative, senior Rian Engeldinger. She made a brief introduction, as it was homecoming week, and her presence was re- quired at the powder puu football game.

“This year’s going extremely well,” she said.

The high school student council has a goal of including the community in more events this year, she said.

Big game

Spicuzza announced that the Prescott High School boys basketball team will play a non-conference game following a Milwaukee Bucks game at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, Jan. 16.

The game will be played at 5:30 p.m., with an ovcial announcement coming from the Bucks soon.

“It will be one of the best non-conference games in the state this year,” said Spicuzza.

New tech specialist

The board approved the hiring of a technology integration specialist, Josiah Wilson, who will work with stau and students to en hance the use of technology. Wilson is a licensed teacher.