By Stephanie Irvine
Two years after the formal groundbreaking held in August 2022, Manhattan School District 114 celebrated the completion of its junior high school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community open house on Tuesday, July 30.
The Manhattan Junior High drumline welcomed guests into the new school. The walkway leading up to the entryway had a yard card reading “Where We Succeed Together — Manhattan Jr. High,” in addition to a balloon arch for people to walk through as they entered the new building.
The humid July afternoon saw temperatures in the upper 80s and, because of the heat, the administration chose to keep everyone comfortable by holding the ribbon-cutting inside.
The ceremony kicked-off with the American Legion Post 935 Honor Guard presenting the colors, the Pledge of Allegiance led by student Caleigh Nicholson, and the MJHS Madrigal Choir singing the National Anthem. Hundreds of guests, including administrators, school board members, and local officials, filled the cafeteria for the private ribbon-cutting event.
“Without our students, families, and community members, everything you see around you today would not be possible,” MJHS Assistant Principal Gina Burlison said in the joint welcoming address given with Principal Vince Perillo. “We’d like to thank all of the people who made the district’s vision come to life today with this beautiful facility you’re sitting in.”
No one was left not thanked, and gratitude was expressed to everyone from the cleaning crew to the staff, the construction company, and everyone in between. Burlison’s and Perillo’s joint address was filled with excitement and many thank yous.
“Manhattan School District 114 has a long history of educational excellence. This building is going to allow us to continue the legacy,” Perillo noted.
Several speakers, including legislators, the architect of the building, Colby Lewis of STR Partners, and Jeff Dvorak of Pepper Construction, provided celebratory remarks. Dvorak noted in his remarks that as a Manhattan resident, he’s enjoyed seeing the building move forward, and he is excited for his son to attend the new school in the fall.
“Manhattan is the fastest-growing community in the district that I represent,” Sen. Patrick Joyce said in his remarks. “For this community to have the vision to give their kids a quality place to learn says a lot about why you are the fastest-growing community in the 40th District.”
The new 1,000-student capacity school is 123,353 square feet, with a Phase 2 addition currently under construction. STR Partners designed the school, and Pepper Construction completed the construction; both are out of Chicago.
The building features 24 standard classrooms, six STEM/science classrooms, three resource rooms, and rooms dedicated to Spanish, art, music, and orchestra. An entire wing of the school is dedicated to athletics, with a gym and a fitness center. The fitness center will be completed with Phase 2 construction.
Its main entry is secure, and the building also has a storm shelter, which is a needed feature, especially after an EF-2 tornado ripped through a Manhattan subdivision mere weeks ago. The school also features a library learning commons that includes breakout and media rooms, multi-use storage spaces, collaboration spaces, and more.
“Today is a meaningful moment for our community, our school district, and most importantly, our children, and families,” Rep. Anthony DeLuca said.
“This community understood the importance of building a new, modern school that will meet the demands of a growing student population and help unlock the potential of every child who walks through these doors,” DeLuca said before thanking the parents, teachers, and residents and acknowledging the district did things the “right way” by giving taxpayers a voice in the process.
A taxpayer referendum was passed in June 2022, which allowed the district to move forward with construction. The school had been utilizing portable classrooms in trailers and modifying the curriculum to accommodate the large and still-growing student body.
Manhattan Board of Education President John Burke said in his remarks he was proud and honored to open the new school and noted: “An investment in your school district means an investment in your property value, your child’s future, and continuing the tradition in Manhattan of putting your kids first.”
“This building is more than just bricks and mortar. It represents our community’s commitment to providing a modern, state-of-the-art environment that’s safe and secure for our students to learn, grow, and develop,” Manhattan Mayor Mike Adrieansen said.
“This is a historical day. If you look around, take in moments today. Take in this excitement. This is a memory that will be emblazoned in your soul, in your mind, and in your hearts forever. This day will never happen again. This day of opening a new building, something so special that it is just humbling. You are all part of the history of Manhattan 114,” Superintendent Ron Pacheco remarked in his comments.
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the public was invited to see the new facilities, including guided tours. Faculty and staff were available to answer questions about the new school, programming, and more. The school district recorded the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a later public broadcast.
Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.