Small, select groups of people who were instrumental in promoting and funding the new Greene County High School and regional career academy are getting a preview tour of the building this week. On the guest list are members of the Our Kids, Our Future steering committee that worked to get the needed bond issue approved, Grow Greene County, the Greene County supervisors, and Greene County school board members. Members of the local media were invited as well.
Former school board member Sam Harding, who is serving as owner’s rep on the project, without pay, and Steve Shuey of Henkel Construction, led the tour. Harding started the tour saying the building is “getting very close,” but “there’s a little more work to do.” He also called Henkel Construction “a great contractor to work with.”
The building is built for students of the 21st century. “This isn’t a ‘sit and get school’. Students don’t sit and get a lecture,” Harding said There won’t be student desks in the building, but tables and chairs and spaces with comfortable seating intended for collaboration. According to Harding, that’s how students learn in preparation for the workplaces they’ll enter.
‘Learning stairs’ provide space for collaboration, presentations, or passing time. 
‘Learning stairs’ from the top. The media center is in the back of the photo.
There also aren’t hallways filled with lockers. School lockers have become outdated, as students prefer to leave their coats in their cars and sprint into the building. There will be lockers for about 30 percent of the student body, and it isn’t certain yet how they’ll be used.
The building is wired and networked for technology. Harding called the internet service in the building “lightning fast.” Every classroom is equipped with a Clevertouch(TM) monitor that can livestream or share any computer screen in the room. There are no chalkboards, but large sections of walls painted as whiteboard.
Each classroom also has a daylight harvester which reads the amount of natural light in the room and adjusts the ceiling lights accordingly. Teachers can override the system if they wish. The classrooms have floor to ceiling windows, as well as either motorized or manual shades.
Classrooms are all equipped with a Clevertouch (TM) monitor that allows screen sharing or live streaming from any computer in the room. 
This history classroom is typical of the academic rooms. Harding is pointing out a ‘daylight harvester.’
The art room is on the front of the building overlooking the main entrance. Harding called it “the showpiece of the academic wing.” Daylight streams in on two sides. A display case creates a wall between the room and the hallway.
The art room on the second level near the main entrance. 
Display case for student artwork
The media center faces south. Students and teachers will watch the changing of the seasons in what may become an iconic view of the Jefferson water tower.
The library has no doors. According to Harding, students don’t steal books so doors aren’t needed. The building is, however, extremely secure. Not only are all entrances secure, but a network of 52 cameras equipped with facial recognition recording software provides remote 24-7 monitoring and recorded surveillance.
The commons has plenty of space and daylight. The photo looks south toward the student entrance. 
A ‘servery’ replaces the cafeteria line
The gymnasium is large enough for three wrestling mats and has a seating capacity of 1,500. According to Harding, the Iowa High School Athletic Association is already eyeing the school as a site for a variety of activities. There are four locker rooms, making it easy to host visiting teams.
The 95-ft gym floor has room for three wrestling mats. Basketball backboards will be freestanding. 
The scoreboard console includes a screen for live streaming
The band and choir rooms are on the south side of the building adjacent to the auditorium. Professional recording equipment is installed in both rooms, and performances on stage can be livestreamed into both rooms and out into the large open space between the gym and auditorium.
The architects used consultants on the auditorium who have worked on Broadway venues. “It’s a fabulous auditorium,” Harding said.
The career academy is the northwest portion of the building. Labs for construction, welding, advanced manufacturing, and ag technology are on the south side of a long hallway. Classrooms for coding, Auto CAD and health sciences are on the north side of a long hallway, along with the culinary kitchens are also on the north side. The Ram Restaurant is on the east end of the north hallway. When Ram Restaurant is open, the public will have access to it without going through the reception area.
Some equipment has been delivered for the Career Academy construction lab. 
A large, dual-equipped kitchen will serve the career academy’s culinary program and Ram Restaurant.
Greene County students in freshman and sophomore level classes will use the career academy in the morning with Greene County teachers. Upper level courses will be taught in the afternoon by Iowa Central Community College instructors. “Iowa Central is aggressively approaching the career academy. That’s exciting to see,” Harding said.
Henkel Construction’s Shuey said, “You’ve got a state of the art building. It’s economical but a very nice building. You should be very proud of it.”
He also praised Harding for his work as owner’s rep and said the district is “blessed to have him.”
Harding responded, “I think it turned out well.”
The public will have a chance to tour the building the weekend of Aug. 22-23. Watch for more details of a self-guided tour. There will also be a virtual tour available soon.
