Barkell Elementary hosts open house Wed.

Aug 29, 2023

HANCOCK — Barkell Elementary School has announced its Open House, which will take place on Wednesday, August 30, from 4:30-6 p.m.

“It’s kind of like what we’ve done in years past,” said Principal Dan Vaara.

Parents will have the opportunity to come in and look around the school, meet the student’s teacher and check out the classroom, he said.

“I mean, I think the kids are going to be the most excited about the new playground,” said Vaara, “which is pretty much in. They’re just finishing up some final touches on it.”

The renderings of the playground equipment were shown at the June, 2023 School Board meeting.

While the playground equipment is now ready for the fall semester, another project, reconstructing the vehicle entry and exit of the elementary school parking and the student drop off/pick up area are still on hold until next summer.

“They were hoping to get that done this year,” said Vaara, “but they were unable to get any companies that could do it this year.”

Vaara said a contractor told the school they could begin the project in September or October, 2023.

“But there’s no way we can have that area torn up like that during the school term,” he said, “so, it sounds like that will be done next year.”

Hopefully, he said, the project will start in June and it will be done.

The plan for work on the Fab Lab and STEM room are still on schedule to occur during the Christmas Break and they should be completed before classes resume in January, said Vaara.

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HANCOCK — Barkell Elementary School has announced its Open House, which will take place on Wednesday, August 30, ...