Break in Rain Makes Way for Groundbreaking
July 31st, 2009
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A crowd gathered Thursday morning at the site of the new Durant High School on Gerlach Drive for the building’s groundbreaking, chancing rainy weather.
However, thanks to a break in the rain, the event went on as scheduled, much to the delight of school administrators, teachers, students and community members who were there to celebrate the highly anticipated occasion.
The new high school project, which is funded by a sales tax increase of five-eighths of one percent for the next 25 years, will cost $41 million to build. The new tax went into effect July 1, 2008.
The construction project is under Architects Claycomb & Associates and construction manager Steele and Freeman Inc.
At a January Durant School Board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Duane Merideth said they hoped to start building the new school in mid-April. Now, two and a half months later, that vision is becoming a reality.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, Superintendent Dr. Jason Simeroth said the new high school building is important because the atmosphere that people are in affects attitudes and learning.
“Some of you will walk the halls of this new facility,” Simeroth said to the Durant High School Band and Color Guard members who were present. “We’re here to make your dreams come true.”
Simeroth said he is glad the Durant community “did not succumb” to the mentality “It was good enough for me, it’s good enough for them,” voting instead to build a new facility that would better suit students today.
School Board President Tammy Cross said the new high school has “been a long time coming.”
Cross said she was speaking from her heart, and “my heart tells me every person here should be proud of what we’re doing.”
“Our kids are definitely worth a new school,” she said. “We believe in our future, and we believe in our kids.”
Durant Mayor Jerry Tomlinson said the City of Durant has enjoyed its partnership with the school district and school board, especially in regards to the new high school.
“We’re here to celebrate the fruition of that dream,” he said about the project.
Sen. Jay Paul Gumm commended the city for making an investment in the future.
Gumm said he was reminded of a quote from Plutarch: “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be lighted.”
He said the high school will be a new chapter in the city’s history of education.
“I appreciate being a part of this, and let’s get digging,” Gumm said, in closing.
State Rep. John Carey also talked about the district’s legacy, saying that the new high school will “stand as a beacon for everyone in the community.”
“You might be standing in third-hour English,” Carey jokingly said to the band and color guard members in attendance, who were standing outside the tent covering.
Joyce Northcutt, a first-grade teacher at Northwest Heights and president of the Durant Education Association, said the new high school will have a huge impact on students’ pride and learning.
After the speakers finished, Simeroth said, “All right, let’s do this thing. Here’s what we came for.”
Three large groups — representing school administrators, educators and community members — turned dirt at the construction site.
Merideth, who introduced the community members, said that when he was asked how many hard hats he would need for the groundbreaking, he answered “15,000,” because that’s how many people it took to make the project happen.
After the groundbreaking ceremony, Vice Mayor Ron Cross spoke about the high school project.
“What we’re doing is ensuring that Durant continues its tremendous growth,” he said, adding that the school system has the capability to increase the number of students.
Ron Cross also commended Former Superintendent Dr. Terry James, who is “99 percent responsible for the high school being built.”
Simeroth said the new high school project, which was in the works before he arrived, is one factor that drew him to the Durant school district.
“Everything we do is for the kids,” he said. “Let’s get to building.”
Machinery will be at the site next week. Workers will begin removing grass and doing dirtwork, which could take six to eight weeks to complete, Simeroth said Thursday afternoon
Jamie Carrick, Staff Writer - The Durant Daily Democrat