The Polson School District has been working on numerous remodels and additions throughout the district, and work will continue through this summer.  

Now that the elementary schools are complete, aside from an additional auxiliary gym space to at Cherry Valley Elementary School, the remaining work at the middle school and high school projects is scheduled for completion by the end of August or the start of September.  

This second phase of construction at the middle school remodels the district’s commercial kitchen and front-office space, creates a more secure front entrance, and establishes a common space for middle schoolers.  

Superintendent Andy Fors noted that the school’s main office houses the school nurse, counselors and principal. He also expressed his excitement about the common space, as it takes a narrow hallway and gives the students a better place to hang out other than the cafeteria.  

At the high school, crews will continue to work on the remodel and the second-story addition, which includes 14 new spaces such as science labs, math classrooms and an art classroom.  

Fors said the auxiliary gym space is needed at Cherry Valley due to the added pressure from last year's grade realignment. This shift changed the middle school to accommodate sixth-eighth graders, and Cherry Valley to house pre-kindergarten through second grade, as Linderman took on third-fifth graders.  

Last summer, Swank Enterprises remodeled student bathrooms and some middle school classrooms, creating a science, technology, engineering, art and math lab. This was also when a new entrance was built to the middle school gym.  

Construction of the second-story addition at the high school was also started, along with newly remodeled freshman classrooms and remodeled basement bathrooms. The parking lot was also resurfaced before the start of the last school year.  

Remodeling and additions were also completed at Cherry Valley and Linderman elementary schools.  

The remodel funds were made possible by two major bonds passed by voters in 2023, which supplied the school with $40 million for improvements.  

Fors said these improvements were needed and have allowed them to move students out of the modular classrooms at the elementary schools and by this fall, at the high school.  

“We previously had nine classrooms in exterior buildings. So, once construction is done, those mods will no longer house students, and we'll be able to put everyone under one roof,” Fors said.  

He said these additions, along with the new secure entrances, will ultimately improve security and safety.  

    Polson Superintendent Andy Fors said construction on the high school and middle school should be completed this fall. (Emily Messer/Leader)

 Superintendent Andy Fors said he is most excited about the new common space in the middle school, pictured here. This was once a narrow hallway with classrooms on the right, but now middle schoolers have a place to hang out. (Emily Messer/Leader)