Devils Lake Public Schools Superintendent Ned Clooten sat down with the Journal to give an update on the renovations underway at Prairie View Elementary School.

He had just come from the latest meeting with the contractors working on the multi-level project therefore his information was “hot off the press,” so to speak.

Clooten said that 2/3 of the roof of the old part of the school had been replaced and the carpet, as well. Air conditioning would be instsalled but not operational until the AC units are installed on the roof. That would come next year.

They were shoring up the security entrance where all visitors will enter through the front doors and front office where they would sign in.

October 1 was the date he was told that the expanded kitchen would be operational as they had laid the floor tile and installed both a walk-in cooler and a walk in freezer. Therefore for the first six weeks of classes, breakfast will be served in the classrooms each morning and Bethel Evangelical Free Church, just down the street a bit, would be providing lunch until the expanded kitchen space was finished. Clooten said the students could walk the short ways between Prairie View and Bethel, no problem.

He said he was grateful for the church’s assistance and hospitality.

The former smaller kitchen area has been remodeled into a teacher workroom, staff restroom and a quiet room.

This year they already have finished the north parking lot. That’s paved and striped, ready for school to start Aug. 20.

If you drive by the site, you’ll see that the four walls for the gymnasium have been placed – you can see that in the aerial photo above provided by Clooten’s son, Noah, who has been staff photographer for the Journal the past two years.

That part of the addition requires steel structure supports inside and a roof that will need decking for support before placing the chillers for the AC system.

Next year the plan is to finish the roof and once that is done to install the roof-top AC units.

The next phase of this project includes bidding the contracts for the wing addition work. Clooten said they were going to have all the students sign their names on one of the support beams that will be placed inside the walls of the new wing. They did that with the new Ag Center addition to LACTC, too. Their names cannot be seen, but the students know they are inside, a part of the new construction.

Clooten says he is excited about and impressed with the facilities they are going to have for the students at Prairie View which will include the 5th graders who presently attend CMS.

Bids for the next phase will be let in late October.

A new school year ahead 2025-26

Clooten added that enrollment for the year ahead looks to be aproximately 1,796 and he was pleased to say that all federal funds in support of the school district had been released and distributed.

He also added that the Devils Lake school system is in a better situation this year over the previous school year, when it comes to filling open teaching positions.

Some changes ahead that will require monitoring include the cell phone policy. “From first bell to end-of-day bell” students will not be allowed to be on their phones.

They’re not going to collect the phones, the students will comply “on their honor” or face consequences.

Another change ahead will involve dealing with chronic student absences. According to Clooten the district boasted 95% attendance pre-Covid 19. Since the pandemic they have not been able to return to that percentage. The best they have done is 92.2% and that is not acceptable Clooten says.

Two events to be celebrated this school year will be the ribbon cutting for the Ag Building in September or October and the 50th anniversary of the LACTC.

Look to the Devils Lake Journal in print and on-line as we report what’s happening at the Devils Lake School Board meetings and various student activities throughout the school year.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR