After the closing and donation of the late Chesterton Middle School to the new YMCA project, Duneland has been on a roll of bettering the town. More specifically, its schools. In 2025, several projects are/will be underway in the interest of improving the school experience for students and employees. Instead of taxpayer dollars going towards vending machine snacks and more screens for public school students, the sacrifices will be made worthwhile in funding the observable improvements of what are truly the backbones of our town.
Initially introduced in 2021, renovation plans for the elementary, intermediate, and middle schools were hoped to be completed by the fall of 2024, but were unfortunately postponed due to the pandemic as well as the ungodly inflation the United States has been suffering. As if construction isn’t costly to begin with, the price tags on these projects jumped over 25% from what they were first estimated to be, and with the best interest of the community always in mind, the Duneland School Corporation made the choice to rain check these innovations. Finally, the time has come to witness these eagerly awaited improvements.
In the next year, expect to see the new Chesterton High School soccer complex come to fruition, complete with bells and whistles that were worth the minor delay. With the main concern of the current CHS soccer field being that it was too narrow, this project will also include two fields, one of artificial turf and the other of grass, as well as elevated bleachers with a capacity of 1,000 spectators, a new scoreboard, new LED lighting, a new sound system, and more. Apart from perfecting the standard features of a soccer field, the plan also entails the building of a new restroom and locker room building for soccer, tennis, and lacrosse players, which will surely come in handy for these outdoor sports. As if this wasn’t exciting enough, construction on this project is said to be completed before the beginning of each program’s season, meaning there will be no hindrances, only benefits, reaped from this project in the following months.
Like the soccer field renovations, carpet replacement within the high school was also announced and begun earlier this year, with some classrooms already sporting fresh, new carpet. By the start of the 2025-2026 school year, almost all aspects of flooring in the high school will be completely redone. Hallways, classrooms, performing arts, media center, and administration and counseling offices will all be reimbursed with fresh carpet squares, and the nurse’s office floors will be replaced with a new hard surface.
Lastly, the rest of the elementary schools will follow Yost’s example for a new and improved playground. Bailly, Brummit, Jackson, and Liberty will remodel their current playscapes after the district-wide benchmark. This most notably includes soft and hard surfaces in designated areas and a more accessible experience for all students. Sadly, a swing set is still not included in the updates.
These long-term improvements in the Duneland School Corporation are planned with students and parents in mind. The renovations, all designed to enhance the school experience for students, were initially postponed due to the impending threat of inflation, but are now back on track in a fashion that is both generous and conscious. The next school year is sure to be exciting for all as work on these projects continues.
