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Groundbreaking Celebration to Rightsize the District
Marinette School District, along with partners C.D. Smith Construction and Somerville Architects and Engineers, celebrated a groundbreaking on Thursday, June 10, a significant milestone in the District's Rightsizing Plan. The Rightsizing project consolidates facilities from the current six school configuration to four. The groundbreaking ceremony to kick off improvements to the four remaining schools was held at Park Elementary, one of the four schools that is part of the Rightsizing projects.

The celebration ceremony was led by Marinette School District Superintendent, Corry Lambie. "Today, we celebrate our continued commitment to provide educational excellence and operational efficiency for our students, our staff, our families, and our community," said Corry Lambie.

 “As we embark on our journey of building for the future to positively impact our students and community, we are equally committed to honoring the legacy of all of our schools and the work that has paved the way for this transformation to be realized. We are deeply grateful for our community and the public for supporting our referendum, and we look forward to watching our schools grow as the hub of our beautiful community.”

The celebration also included remarks from the Board of Education President, John LaCourt; Somerville Architects and Engineers Education Studio Leader, Melanie Parma; C.D. Smith Construction SVP, Greg Sabel; and Marinette Mayor, Steve Genisot. Three current second grade students, Gracie Sebero from Garfield Elementary, Harold Lesperance from Merryman Elementary, and Emily Kobs from Park Elementary, who will be part of the first fourth grade class served in the new Intermediate building in 2022-23, shared their thoughts about what the new buildings will mean to them as students. Members of the Marinette High School Band, under the direction of Mrs. Hilary Oskey, were also in attendance to provide musical entertainment in support of the event. Closing remarks were provided by former Superintendent and current Teaching & Learning Quality Assurance Director, Wendy Dzurick.

During the summer 2021 through the summer 2022, renovations and new additions will occur at Marinette Primary School (formerly Merryman Elementary) and Marinette Intermediate School (formerly Park Elementary), including new library spaces adjacent to the commons to create active and engaging learning environments, prominent front entrances, and more natural light through expanded views to the outside. The intermediate school will include a new gym, while the primary school will include a multi-purpose room well-suited for the District's youngest learners. Additional enhancements at both schools include new special education spaces and new classroom wings with collaboration rooms for one-on-one and small group instruction and support. Renovations at the middle and high school are planned for summer 2022.

The Rightsizing Plan was developed to allow the District to operate more efficiently while continuing to offer an excellent educational program. These projects are possible because Marinette School District voters approved the $30.9 million Marinette School District November 2020 Referendum.

As construction work begins to transform Marinette School District’s learning spaces, the District continues to plan for the 2022-23 school year to ensure a smooth transition for all students and families.