(Image provided)
(Image provided)
In Merrillville, school officials say a new state-of-the-art facility will help prepare high school students living in Ross Township for college and career opportunities. The Merrillville Community School Corporation school board, administrators, CTE teachers and students will gather for the groundbreaking this Friday December 16. The $20 million Career and Technical Education (CTE) building, scheduled for completion in July 2024, will be located behind Merrillville High School. It will include a large construction trades lab; welding lab; fire and rescue lab, plus training area; automotive lab; a future lab for expanding educational offerings; and classroom space.
“We are very pleased and excited to begin creating a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) building to meet the current and future needs of our wonderful students,” said Superintendent Nick Brown. “This new CTE building will support the Merrillville Community’s efforts to prepare our students for their futures.
“This new building will allow us to expand CTE course offerings and increase the number of students to be able to enroll in these important courses,” Brown added. “We thank the board of education for their vision and support with this project.”
A news release said the board of school trustees secured $140 million in funding that is tax rate neutral for upcoming large projects that includes the CTE building. Additional projects covered by this funding include a new high school cafeteria replacing the old cafeteria that will become learning spaces; a multi-purpose room at Miller Elementary School; mechanical, plumbing and electrical upgrades to all buildings; sidewalk, concrete and parking lot repairs at all buildings; upgrades to playground equipment at all elementary buildings; interior renovations including carpet, paint, media center upgrades at all buildings; and renovations and upgrades to Reinhart Auditorium.
Performance Services, a company serving the learning environment needs of K-12 schools since 1998, was chosen by the school corporation to design/implement these renovations. Performance Services is headquartered in Indianapolis with regional offices in nine additional states.
To learn more about Merrillville High School’s CTE programs, visit the school corporation’s website, www.mvsc.k12.in.us .
