Posted February 24, 2025
For about five years now, Plymouth High School students and staff have benefitted from new physical education spaces, updated science classrooms and culinary arts labs, and a remodeled kitchen and cafeteria, thanks to district taxpayers.
The upgrades were among $16.2 million in improvements to PHS approved by voters in April 2018, along with updates to Fairview and Parkview elementary schools.
Work began that summer; updated science classrooms and the addition on the south end of PHS opened in October 2019, with other improvements coming online throughout the 2019-20 school year. The updated kitchen and cafeteria were ready in fall 2020.
Plymouth High School students conduct a water-testing lab in a new classroom in October 2019.
The science section was gutted and renovated to create modernized labs designed to better facilitate experiments and team problem-solving.
The original classrooms had changed little since the building opened in 1966. “Our old science rooms looked like rooms from a dated movie,” said science teacher Jason Jaeckels, who has taught at PHS since 2011. “The aesthetics were terrible. Flexible grouping/pairing of students was essentially impossible.”
Work on the science classrooms began as soon as school let out in June 2019, and two new classrooms came back online each week that October.
Walls were removed to incorporate teacher prep areas into larger classrooms, with separate lab spaces and work spaces. “The current island/peninsular design of lab stations makes group collaboration and communication a lot easier,” Mr. Jaeckels said. “Prior, when labs were in linear stations, students on opposite ends of the benches didn't communicate and could easily ‘hide’ from the lab activity, lowering student participation.”
PHS science teacher Carrie Pieper also lauded the drastically improved use of space and the student flow between lab work and desk work, including the ability to have both types of learning happening simultaneously. “Open lab spaces allow for more hands-on activities, which improves outcomes for tactile-learners,” she said.
Teachers rattled off additional benefits: The new rooms meet the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Designs, and the chemical supply room is up to code as well. Improved lighting and ventilation also make for a more comfortable classroom setting. Better access to electrical outlets meshes better with modern technology.
Safety has been improved as each room has its own self-sterilizing goggle cabinets and equipment such as eye wash stations and chemical showers. The storage space also was improved, allowing the purchase of new materials such as 8 separate dynamics tracts that are over 2 meters long each.
“We love the new spaces!” Mrs. Pieper said. “We appreciate living in a community that sees the value of investing in our community's future.”
Physical education teacher Kamie Gritt demonstrates a piece of equipment in the new Fitness Center for her students in October 2019.
Construction began in the fall of 2018 on an addition to the south end of the school, which houses a multipurpose facility, a fitness center, an exercise/dance studio, and locker rooms for girls.
The new spaces have allowed physical education teachers to create curriculum offering more opportunities for students, said physical education teacher Kamie Gritt. “With a larger space, we can offer new and exciting activities/games that the students were not exposed to previously,” she said. “It is such a great place to teach!”
The multipurpose facility, a large indoor space with a turf surface, opened to classes Oct. 16, 2019.
“The new multipurpose facility gives us a place to spread out and have fun!” Mrs. Gritt said. “It gives the Physical Education Department an extra teaching space, which is amazing. We are able to have two classes simultaneously in the area. We have been able to add some new sports/games/activities to our curriculum.”
Athletic teams and other extracurricular groups, including the PHS Marching Band, also began using the new space almost immediately. Adult and youth sports groups from the community soon followed suit.
Dan Knaus, athletics and activities director, said he most appreciates the flexibility of the space, for athletics, physical education, and community use. “It allows our student athletes to practice and prepare year-round for their sports,” he said. “The track, softball, soccer, and baseball teams can practice on a surface just like their outdoor space even when there is 8 inches of snow outside.”
About a week after the multipurpose facility opened, students were able for the first time to use the new fitness center, which is about three times larger than its predecessor and filled with new cardio and weight-training equipment.
“The new fitness center also is a great space that can accommodate a large class or even two smaller classes,” Mrs. Gritt said. “We are very fortunate to have all the amazing new equipment in the fitness center that we didn't have before. The students have a great learning classroom within the fitness center.”
Beginning in November 2019, community members were able to buy memberships to use the fitness center before and after school. "It's been so amazing to see students, athletes, students, and parents together, college students, senior citizens, and every age in between utilize the district's fitness center," said Community Ed & Rec Director Carly Lenz, who was wellness coordinator at the time. "Families can focus on fitness together, and the sense of community within the facility has by far exceeded my expectations."
Community Ed & Rec suggested turning a large undesignated space in the lower level into a studio, with mirrors along one wall and a barre along another. Others quickly saw the potential, and the space is used extensively by physical education classes, the PHS Dance Team, Momentum Show Choir, and community fitness and youth classes.
PHS Marching Band rehearses in the multipurpose facility in November 2019 for an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World.
New equipment in the culinary lab in December 2019.
A new professional-style convection oven, charbroiler, and griddle went into service in the Culinary Arts kitchen in December 2019. The classroom also received an exhaust hood and fire suppression system for the commercial equipment.
“Students are gaining exposure and experience working with equipment that they would possibly use on their jobs,” said PHS culinary arts teacher Connie Lund. “Students enjoy using and experimenting with the charbroiler and griddle. They are able to apply different cooking methods.”
The PHS kitchen was completely updated with state-of-the-art equipment, and chairs and tables original to the building were replaced with various flexible seating configurations.
Work began in May 2020, and the reconfigured spaces opened in time for the start of school that fall. New tables and chairs arrived a few months into the school year.
“It is much easier to keep a clean working space,” said Food Service Director Jenny Goelzer. “Increased refrigeration and freezer space allows us to safely store the large amounts of food needed every day. Additional sinks give us a larger space to wash all of the fresh produce we serve.”
The addition of electric cold salad bars now allows the school to offer a large selection of beautiful fresh produce every day. “It is so important that our children are fed a variety of nutritious food, and we are so happy to be able to provide that for our students every day!” Mrs. Goelzer said.
Expanded visitor parking is available in front of the PHS addition.
A new Community Education & Recreation office at the front of the addition opened in late October 2019, offering a second secure entrance into the building and much easier access for community members.
More parking was added in front of the addition, and the driving lanes in front of the high school were made safer, with bus traffic separated from other vehicles.
The District Office was relocated in March 2020 into renovated space vacated by the girls locker room, and the PHS Office expanded into what have been the District Office, with a new secure entrance ready in time for fall 2020.
