3-21-2025 11:29pm

Saline Area Schools Celebrate Start of Bond Work at Saline Middle School

Saline Area Schools administrators, staff, students and construction partners kicked off the $60 million second phase of its 180-million 2022 bond projects.

The first phase featured the Hornet Operations Center, a new roof for Harvest Elementary, a new HVAC system at Saline High School, new parking lots and other amenities at Harvest, four new playgrounds and the start of the Saline High School STEAM facility a new weight room and other updates to gyms and lockerroom at the high school.

The second phase, mostly around central campus, includes an SMS STEAM facility, an expansion of the senior center, a complete revamp of the athletic facilities between Liberty and the middle school, a new space for the cosmetology program, as well as updates and technology upgrades for at Saline Middle School and all schools in the district.

Phase 3, also worth an estimated $60 million, will include upgrades at Harvest, Pleasant Ridge and Woodland Meadows elementary schools.

Superintendent Steve Laatsch noted that the "groundbreaking," moved indoors due to the weather, was being held in the old bus garage, future home of the cosmetology program.

"It's going to be great to move the cosmetology program out of the Michigan Avenue location and into the schools," Laatsch said.

The senior center will expand by 7,000 square feet, said Nancy Cowan.

"One of the things that will do is provide more space for group workouts and allow us to offer more fitness options," Cowan said.

Laatsch noted that the new athletics facility will feature softball and baseball diamonds, marked soccer and football fields, a new track facility, eight tennis courts and eight pickleball courts.

Obviously, these fields will be used by the schools for middle school sports, phys ed and more - but they also provide the community with more space for little league baseball, youth soccer, and more.

The SMS STEAM spaces go nicely with the new STEAM center being built at the high school.

"We've realized the STEAM programs are impacting a lot of kids - and a lot of it does take place after school. So we're trying to think differently about STEAM and how school takes place. We have so many kids and parents engaged in after-school STEAM projects; it's time they had the facilities they need," Laatsch said.

Laatsch noted that the high school robotics team has been operating out of a glorified closet in a corner of the school, and whatever classroom it can find.

"We also think teachers will find uses for these spaces, but it will largely be used after school and on weekends," Laatsch said.

More than the other projects, this one really focuses on afterschool and community spaces - the athletic facilities, the STEAM space, senior center.

For more information, visit the 2022 Bond page.