MONROE — A new video, ‘Monroe High School Construction Update, Ep. 1,’ debuted recently, and in time for the April 28 meeting of the School District of Monroe Board of Education, where officials learned of significant progress on the project.

Obvious to anyone driving nearby, the spring thaw has translated into major progress on the increasingly crowded building site, officials said. And the new, narrated video, which can be seen on the district web site, confirms all the major developments at the property off 31st Avenue and near Wis. 11. 

Previous videos showed the progress from a drone’s eye view, usually set to music. This nearly five-minute production is the first of a series of videos that are different. Microphone in hand, Interim Supt. Joe Monroe interviews MHS Principal Jeriamy Jackson, and Tony Buss, senior project manager for contractor CG Schmidt, Inc., as they highlight ways in which the building and grounds are taking form. Meanwhile, tons of concrete is still being poured in key areas.

“It’s all going really, really quickly,” said Jackson. “It’s really starting to take shape as a building and you’ll see that probably over the next couple months, come together pretty good.”

The commons area is fitting together nicely, officials said.  And it is a part of the building to which every other part is connected; and is expected to be a focal point of MHS life once the move is complete.

Clear progress is also seen on the academic wing, where classes in English, special education, and other vital areas will be hosted. 

The main office area is enclosed and continues to build out. With the ground drained and dried, earth-work is ongoing for the baseball field. Roofing work also has started, officials reported in the video. And structural steel being installed in the MHS commons is “kind of a big milestone for us,” said Buss.

Among the curiosities that can be seen are a “plaza” taking shape on one side of the building that will overlook about the 35-yard line of the new Cheesemaker football field.

“It’s a pretty cool space,” said Buss.

On the project’s online dashboard, construction is reported as 26 percent complete with the entire body of work — including renovations to Abraham Lincoln Elementary — listed about 31 percent complete, as of the newspaper’s deadline.

“We’re really excited about what’s going on,” said Monroe.

The project was launched after voters in 2022 approved a referendum allocating $88 million, a price including extensive renovations to Lincoln. It is expected to open in time for the 2026-2027 school year.