BP opens school doors to public on Owatonna

BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The doors to Blooming Prairie High School were a high traffic area on Sunday, as the school district hosted a public open house to mark the completion of two years of construction.

People from all walks of life came to see the changes, including students from other schools in the Blooming Prairie district, parents, community members and public officials.

Rep. Patti Fritz, DFL-Faribault, was among the guests on Sunday, to get a full tour of changes that she called “excellent.”

“Blooming Prairie is very unique because Blooming Prairie has staved off having to consolidate,” said Fritz.

Because her own interests lean toward the arts, Fritz said she was most impressed with the new choir room, which was expanded and insulated so that it would better contain the sound of students rehearsing.

Some of the other highlights for people who took the tour — a tour lasting about an hour from start to finish — included the science labs, the new media center or library, changes made to the kitchen and the large open commons room at the new entrance of the building.

A few elderly ladies were enjoying refreshments in the commons area, when they said the change to the room was the best of all. But each one of them insisted that it was important for the students to appreciate the changes to school, because “it takes a lot of tax money to do this.”

Rae Jean Hansen, who serves on the Blooming Prairie school board, said she thought the renovations were great.

“I think there are a lot of improvements,” said Hansen. She said she especially thought it was nice that teachers were able to have projectors in their own rooms.

Kristine Hagen, a junior at Blooming Prairie High School, said the changes had turned around activities at the school. As a competitor on the volleyball team as well as track, she said the change from cinder to the new track was one of the biggest changes that stood out to her, though it was completed in 2008.

“The track is also really nice,” said Hagen.

Construction on the school building began after Blooming Prairie voters approved a $14 million bond referendum in 2007. The bond paid for renovations and additions to the high school, including a new science facility, a new media center, a new track, a new bus loop, new locker rooms and a new entrance for school safety. The bond also included a new multi-purpose room, changes and expansion to classrooms and renovations to staff and administrative offices — such as the district office, conference rooms and the kitchen.

Melissa Kaelin can be reached at 444-2372.

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