News Photo by Reagan Voetberg Alpena High School student athlete Xavier Szymoniak speaks to the Alpena Public Schools board of education at last Monday’s workshop meeting. Students and coaches attended the meeting to show their support for a new weight room and equipment at AHS.

ALPENA — On Monday, the Alpena Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the purchase of new weight room equipment and renovations.

The vote brought on a round of applause after the motion passed.

The board approved the purchase of equipment and flooring from Stray Dog Strength in the amount of $200,810 for the weight room which the school has needed badly.

Last Monday at the board’s workshop meeting, AHS athletes and coaches spoke during public comment to ensure that new weight room equipment and renovations were made a priority on the board’s regular meeting agenda this Monday.

The weight room is currently located in the basement at AHS. In the proposed plan, the weight room would be moved to a two classroom space directly across from the cafeteria. Renovations will be done to break down the wall between the classrooms, APS Superintendent Dave Rabbideau said at last Monday’s meeting. Asbestos abatement was done in those classrooms over spring break.

The space is meant to be a temporary fix, but could end up becoming a permanent solution. In that scenario, the district would make additional improvements including improving ventilation.

The other solution is to invest in a larger project and build a completely new space. Rabbideau said the range for that project would be between $3 million to $5 million if pursued.

AHS Head Football Coach DJ Szymoniak detailed the weight room’s condition in a public comment last Monday.

“Physical education is an academic subject,” he said. “The current status of the physical education weightroom, the air circulation there is not the best, the air exchangers that we have down there are currently they haven’t worked since I moved here in April. Kids are having to, when they work out, maneuver around asbestos pipes that hang anywhere from seven to six feet low. They get in the way of some of our exercises.”

APS Superintendent Dave Rabbideau later clarified that the pipes in the weightroom do not have asbestos, although many during public comment made that claim.

“In 2017, 18, we did have a release of asbestos in the high school,” he said. “We are not sending our staff and students into a space that has open and flowing asbestos.”

“Ceiling heights are really low at like seven foot,” Szymoniak said. “We got sprinkler systems and stuff like that where the piping dips below, any of our kids over 6 ‘2″ gotta dip and move around them and duck when they walk around them, the ductwork hangs rather low. There’s been several occasions where there’s been water lately that’s been flooded into the weight room, the constant smell of sewer odor is down there that the kids complain about.”

Tim Mullaney, a resident of Alpena, said he worked out in the same weight room in 1987 as a student.

“I kind of believe that was maybe a temporary space even at that time and even prior,” he said.

Mullaney brought up the fact that the current weight room only has one doorway to enter and leave, and the proposed renovation would give it two doorways, making the space safer.

Jeremy Kraft, an Alpena resident, volunteer, and parent of two, said that many kids come to use the weight room after school, even those that are not in athletics or physical education classes. He has seen many kids hit their head on the low ceilings and has done so himself. He also said that the equipment is ‘home-use’ and not high school grade or college grade, meaning it is intended to be used at home by a couple of people, not in a high school gym used by over a hundred students each day.

Matt Muszynski, an Alpena resident and a former AHS student, said that students and coaches are not asking for anything over-the-top.

“I understand it’s hard financially right now, things are a little tight. We’re not asking for what the beautiful side of the state has got…We’re not asking for the Taj Mahal. What we’re asking for is just something temporary in the hopes that maybe someday we can build something that will make our kids feel proud.”

Andrew Szymoniak, a current AHS student athlete, spoke about the benefits of having an improved weight room.

“Our current facility is not just outdated, it is unsafe,” he said. “At my previous school, I saw firsthand how access to a quality weightroom helped a classmate struggling with mental health find purpose and consistency through lifting…providing that same opportunity here could make a meaningful difference for many students.”

Cash Moughon, a current AHS student athlete, described the weight room as “the dungeon”

“Our current weight room right now it’s located in what many of us call ‘the dungeon,'” he said. “While that may sound like a joke, it’s reality.”

Xavier Szymoniak, a current AHS student athlete, expanded on his peers’ comments.

“In our current weight room, we are unable to do some workouts due to the lack of space,” he said. “The improved layout will give students more room to move around.”

At this Monday’s regular board meeting, more details of the project were discussed before the board’s vote.

Rabbideau said that the new equipment will be installed in July. Renovations to the new space will be done before then, which will include knocking down the wall, painting, patching the ceiling in, and likely some electrical work.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

*AHS students Addison Wesaw, Hailey Diemond, and Mckenzy Mcvannel in Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) presented about Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding.

*ACES Academy Director Jon Studley shared some information and statistics about ACES this past school year. ACES student Harlow Tarnsey also spoke and discussed the impact ACES has had on her life.

*The board approved the purchase of a three year subscription of Magic School AI software for $70,082.50

*The board approved a motion to make May 22 a make-up instructional day.

*Board members will vote on the Alpena Montmorency Alcona Educational Service District general fund budget at their regular board meeting in May.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.