Wausa Public Schools is nearing key milestones related to the district’s upcoming renovation and construction project, and local subcontractors are encouraged to participate in upcoming outreach events where they can learn more about the project.
Construction manager Boyd Jones will complete its preparation of the bid package for demolition in early February. The company plans to send the demo package out to bid around mid-February, with bids due back to Boyd Jones later in the month or in early March. Specific dates will be released and shared through various media channels as more information becomes available. “We are so excited to start this process,” said Wausa Superintendent Brad Hoesing. “Although it will be a challenge to move 108 years’ worth of inventory, as well as five classrooms, office space, and students out of the old building, we are willing and able to do so with the knowledge that this building will bring so many additional educational opportunities not just to the students of Wausa, but to the community, as well.” “We will continue to work hard in collaboration with Carlson West Povondra Architects and Boyd Jones to move forward with our goal of providing a quality educational facility on time and at or under budget. We are excited to move forward!” Hoesing said. The first subcontractor outreach events hosted by Boyd Jones will be held during the first half of March, with firm dates to be published in local media once they are determined. Subcontractors interested in bidding any portions of the full scope of work for the project should plan to attend these meetings, where Boyd Jones will share information related to project phasing, scope, and other requirements. The full project is expected to go out to bid around mid-March, with those bids due back to Boyd Jones later in the month. Project demolition is expected to begin around early May. Staff will begin moving supplies out of the existing high school in early April. Boyd Jones anticipates crews will begin removing the building’s boiler around mid-April, about the same time pre-demolition efforts will begin. Demolition can begin when students are sent home for the summer. Subcontractors seeking more information should contact project manager Brian Dembowski by email at bdembowski@boydjones.biz. The Wausa School will dismiss students at 1:15 p.m. today due to the current weather.
There will be no practice or activities after school today. The girls and boys basketball games scheduled at Winside have been postponed. A later date will be announced. 192 students earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average at Peru State College in the fall of 2018. Students representing Nebraska, 18 other states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and 3 foreign countries are on the list . Dr. Dan Hanson, president of Peru State College, said, "A 4.0 GPA is a special accomplishment and I am honored to create this new list of award winners." To make the President's List students must have a grade point average of 4.0 for the semester, have completed at least 12 graded credit hours during the past semester, have no incomplete grades for the semester and be degree seeking. This is the first semester the President's List has been awarded. Students eligible for the President's List were previously eligible for the Dean's List. Gaige Hegge of Wausa made this year's President's List. Hannah Nelson, a Sophomore at Bethel University in St. Paul, has been named to the Dean's List for academic excellence for the fall 2018 semester. She is the daughter of Terry and Karla Nelson from Wausa, Nebraska. The Dean's List honors students who achieve an outstanding scholastic record during a semester with a grade point average of 3.6 or greater. Bethel University is a leader in Christ-centered higher education with nearly 5,500 students from 48 states and 42 countries enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, with an additional seminary location in San Diego, California, Bethel offers bachelor's and advanced degrees in nearly 100 fields through classroom-based and online programs. For further information on Bethel University, go to www.bethel.edu. For the fall 2018 semester, 633 South Dakota School of Mines & Technology students were named to the Dean’s List. In order to merit a spot on the Dean’s List, students must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher for the semester. Full-time students must have earned a minimum of 12 credit hours for the term, while part-time students must have earned between three and 11 credit hours that term. Congrats to Darren Nissen of Wausa on making the Dean's List. He is currently majoring in Mechanical Engineering. About SD Mines Founded in 1885, the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a science and engineering research university located in Rapid City, S.D., offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. The university enrolls 2,654 students with a student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The SD School of Mines placement rate for graduates is 97 percent, with an average starting salary of more than $61,300. Find us online at www.sdsmt.edu and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Snapchat. A motion to transfer patients from Wausa Care and Rehabilitation Center to other care facilities was filed last week in Knox County Court. The motion will be heard Feb. 26 in Center.
Klaasmeyer & Associates has been overseeing the facility since March after the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services was alerted that the company could not make payroll. According to court documents, “The receiver has conducted a regular census of residents and patients of Wausa Care. The average daily census for November 2018 was 15.42 residents per day, and this census number has varied little during the course of the receivership.” The goal was to get the facility back running smoothly so new owners could purchase the facility. Between March and November 2018, Klaasmeyer & Associates observed low census and poor financial performance, which has lead the firm to motion to close the facility. “Due to the low census and corresponding poor financial performance of Wausa Care from March 23, 2018, to November 30, 2018, and the anticipation that Wausa Care will continue to operate at a significant financial loss each month, the receiver has determined that Wausa Care should be closed and that residents or patients be transferred to another suitable facility; and, as set forth herein and in the supporting affidavit of Kenneth Klaasmeyer, the receiver has reasonable grounds to believe the health care facility cannot be operated on a sound financial basis and, accordingly, requests authority from the court to make other provisions for the continued health, safety and welfare of the residents or patients by transferring such resident or patient to another suitable facility,” documents showed. Preliminary drawings of the Wausa School building were released from CWP Architects.
Wausa’s bid for improving its school facility is moving forward thanks to an overwhelming 75 percent support. Wausa Superintendent Brad Hoesing said he was pleased the district stakeholders were so supportive of funding the initiative to improve the district, which will increase the levy just two cents. “We were grateful to patrons that they voted and voted to improve the facilities,” Hoesing said. Hoesing said the school board had been working toward the school’s recent renovation proposal for two years, which includes adding more room for high school classrooms and a new 5,500 square-foot industrial arts building. Plans for the project also include demolishing the old 1913 Wausa school building and replacing it with a new single story building. Total cost of the project is expected to be $4.35 million. Wausa’s Mrs. Lynn Bloomquist and her 7th Grade Civics class did a dual-giving project where they will donate the items collected to shelters. They asked for slightly used or new coats and jackets which will be donated to those in need locally, the Norfolk Rescue Mission, Norfolk Bright Horizons and Lincoln People City Mission. They also collected and will donate animal items for the Capital Humane Society in Lincoln. The students placed boxes for the donations all over the Wausa community and within the school. Many donations were collected.
In their first time competing in Class C1 and first year as Wausa/Osmond, the combined one act team performed "Mr. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge" at the Nebraska State Play Production Championships in Norfolk on Thursday. The team is under the direction of Sheila and Brad Hoesing.
Three members of the Wausa/Osmond received earned outstanding actor awards at state: Paige Nissen, Kaitlyn Kumm and Taylor Kumm. Overall, the team earned third place in Class C1. Aquinas Catholic was first, followed by runner up Ravenna. The Wausa-Osmond one-act team took first place at the C1-3 Districts held in Stanton Nov. 27. The team is headed to state and has a shot at the title yet again. The state competition will be held in Norfolk on Dec. 6. Wausa will perform at 1:15 p.m.
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