District Nears Completion of Building Improvements Funded by Bond

On November 5, 2019, Steamboat Springs voters approved Measure 4C, a $79.5 million, 20-year bond measure to fund investments in all existing SSSD schools and a new PK–8 school in the Steamboat II neighborhood. Since then, the District has utilized these funds to make numerous improvements to all the schools, the District administration building, and the bus garage. Most recently, two exterior doors and all the windows in the 1918 main building were replaced. The final upgrades to the District office are coming soon. 

Thanks in part to the voters who helped pass the bond, the District improved the safety features in all buildings, enhanced educational opportunities and improved athletic facilities across the District. 

All schools received updates to help enhance the learning and teaching experiences. Below is a summary of all the improvements made to District schools since the bond was approved. The primary safety improvement for all schools was a new addressable fire alarm system.

 

At SSHS, improvements to the school included doubling the size of the digital photography lab.

Steamboat Springs High School: 

Steamboat Springs High School received a 9,000-square-foot expansion that included new facilities and resources for students. Safety improvements include updates to the parking lot and a new addressable fire alarm system. Upgrades to the parking lot included: 

• A dedicated parent drop-off lane

• 70 additional parking spaces 

• Bus drop-off and pick-up lane that separates students/staff

• New site drainage system

Additional improvements included: 

• More than 200,000 square feet of carpet throughout the high school 

• Four gender-neutral bathrooms 

• Two new college-level science labs 

• Doubled the square footage of the digital photography labs

• A complete renovation of the pottery and art rooms 

• Every exterior door in the building was replaced 

• The shop space was renovated to make it easy for instructors to supervise students. It also received new paint, an updated dust collection system, and additional storage. 

• The ventilation system in the welding room was improved. 

• New sound paneling, paint, three additional windows and acoustics in the band room

• Upgraded locker rooms, new training room, updated guest locker rooms and new storage rooms for sports teams.
   

 The expanded music room at Strawberry Park has additional storage and ample lighting for students and staff.

Strawberry Park Elementary: 

Improvements to Strawberry Park Elementary included upgrades to the cafeteria and art and music rooms. The old art and music rooms were converted into a new cafeteria. The new music and art rooms are bigger and have more natural lighting to help serve the students. 

Additional updates include: 

• Resurfaced asphalt in the parking lot

• Two new preschool classrooms

• PK age-appropriate snow-melted playground with four inches of rubber for safety 

Steamboat Springs Middle School received a new varsity turf field and track with seating and an access ramp.

 

Steamboat Springs Middle School: 

The main improvements to SSMS are a new cafeteria that can also be combined with the adjacent space to create additional auditorium seating. Additionally, a new track and turf field was built that can accommodate varsity games. The field also has an ADA access ramp and new seating. Additional improvements include: 

• Resurfaced asphalt in the parking lot

• 6 renovated science classrooms 

Soda Creek Elementary: 

Soda Creek Elementary received an expansion that included two new preschool classrooms, a new playground and four new classrooms that replaced the two old modular classrooms. The additions were tied into the existing building to make it look like the addition was always a part of the school. 

 

A state-of-the-art library was built at Sleeping Giant School. 

Sleeping Giant School: 

Through bond funding, a new 490-capacity school for students from preschool to 8th grade was built at Steamboat II. Sleeping Giant School is now in its second year of operation and was built with modern components to increase longevity and maximize energy efficiency. School features include:

• Beautiful views of the valley and ski resort 

• Terrazzo tile

• An advanced lighting system that allows the District to put the lights on a schedule, saving on energy costs 

• Solar panels 

• Card reader access to the building instead of keys 

• State-of-the-art HVAC system 

• Loading dock

• 13 different snowmelt zones that can be run independently of one another

• Extensive furniture budget 

• Two science classrooms 

• Age-appropriate play areas

District administration building improvements included: 

• New bathrooms

• New lights/paint in the gym

• YVHS complete space renovations

• New science lab

• Replaced windows and exterior doors 

The bus garage received a brand new parking lot and additional covered small vehicle and bus storage new panels for EV buses.