Culver School Board Views Lighting Upgrades, Elementary School Secure Entrance

Lighting installation taking place at Culver Middle/High School

Culver Community Schools will look a bit brighter when students return to class next week. The school board got a look Monday at the LED lighting installation that’s currently underway.

As Middle/High School Principal Brett Berndt took board members through the building, he pointed out that the new lights are improving the appearance of the hallways and cafeteria. He said the lights will make a big difference in the gyms, with more light coming from fewer fixtures. Unlike the old gym lights, the new ones will be able to turn on immediately, without any warm-up time.

School officials say the gym lights should be finished this week, with the entire lighting project expected to wrap up in about three weeks. The half-million-dollar lighting project is expected to lead to a significant reduction in electricity costs.

Visitors to Culver Elementary School will now have to check in at this window.

The Culver School Board also looked at the new secure entrance at the elementary school during its tour. Any visitors to the school will have to stop at a window and check in with office staff, before being allowed to proceed into the main office or nurse’s office. They would then have to be allowed through another set of locked doors to access the rest of the building.

Superintendent Karen Shuman said the new secure entrance was funded entirely by school safety grant money.

New LED lighting has been installed in the cafeteria.
LED lighting installation is almost complete in this hallway at Culver Community Middle/High School.
Superintendent Karen Shuman and Elementary School Principal Erin Proskey show board members the remodeled elementary school office.