EPHRATA — Ephrata Middle School Principal Tina Mullings got help from her predecessors and current students to cut the ribbon — actually a paper chain — on the renovated and enlarged EMS Monday evening. District patrons got the chance to tour the building to see the changes.

Mullings said the renovations expanded the options for EMS students.

“We have classrooms that are able to be (used for) opportunities we didn’t have before,” she said.
The upgrades helped expand the EMS career and technical education programs, she said, pointing down a hallway on the north side of the building. 

“Some of the classrooms that are down this wing are specific to our CTE, so they’re specialized. We have a new shop, with computer-aided design that we didn’t have before. A nice art room, a photography (space),” she said. 

The remodel removed the old entrance and added a new gym, security vestibule and library, and renovated the existing EMS gym, along with the cafeteria and kitchen. 

“We have a second gym, so we are able to have different opportunities for not only us at the school but the community. Having two gyms, that gives us a lot of access that we didn’t have before,” Mullings said. 

The new gym sits on the site of the old parking lot and building entrance. The remodel turned what was open space between two wings of the middle school into an enclosed courtyard. Before remodeling, the building had a patchwork of different technology upgrades, but that’s all been integrated into one system, she said.

“We have technology that is uniform and consistent and that gives us a lot of opportunities too,” she said.

“It’s nice to have everything tied together,” Mullings said. “All the technology all works together, whereas before, you were trying to piece everything together and hopefully it would work. But now it’s pretty state of the art.” 

The new entrance and office make the building more secure, she said.

“Today we did a drill, for example, and I didn’t have to worry about any of my exterior doors, because they remain locked unless we have a time that we want them open. Like (during) student transition, they’re open, otherwise they’re closed and the only entrance is the main entrance,” she said. 

The entrance has a security vestibule; only once people are identified can they enter the building, Mullings said.

The remodeling project was part of a bond passed by Ephrata School District voters in 2019, and construction started in 2020, a time when COVID-19 and all the disruptions associated with it discombobulated the schedule. Before cutting the ribbon Mullings paid tribute to EMS staff and students, who worked around the obstacles presented by a discombobulated school. Among other things, the new gym hosted classes while other classrooms were being renovated.

“I give kudos to my staff,” Mullings said after the ribbon was cut. “They dealt with (disruption) through COVID, through all the things that had to change with construction. There were actually six classrooms in (the gym). They did their teaching with open doors and open ceilings, and they taught and they did a good job, and students grew and they learned even through the difficulties. It was challenging, but we have a staff that’s amazing.”

During the ceremony district Superintendent Tim Payne recognized Ephrata School Board members, past and present, and current and former administrators were invited up to help cut the ribbon. The EMS band and choir performed before the ceremony. District patrons were invited to tour some of the new classrooms. 

Mullings said now that it’s done, it was worth the disruption.

“We got a lot out of it; the kids are really happy. It’s a beautiful facility,” she said.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.

    Tao, Ephrata School District’s mascot, happily carried the chain after the ribbon cutting (or chain cutting) at Ephrata Middle School.
  

    The Ephrata Middle School choir performs during the open house at EMS Monday.