An Update from the Chelsea School District

Looking back at what’s been done and looking ahead to this summer and beyond, the Chelsea School District (CSD) has made good use of the 2019 Bond Initiative and community support with plans for even more improvements in the coming months and year.

CSD Superintendent Mike Kapolka recently gave the community a district update on the various Capital Projects that Chelsea has undertaken over the past six years and what it plans to do moving forward, which includes the Young 5’s renovation at North Creek Elementary, Field turf projects at the varsity soccer, baseball and softball fields, and building a new Athletic Field House. 

In looking back, Kapolka highlighted the accomplishments from 2020-2024, which included upgrades at the Pierce Lake Early Childhood Center; site and building improvements at Washington Street Education Center; improvements to buildings 100-500, including the STEAM robotics renovation, and also enhancements at the Transportation Center.

Kapolka said, “At the elementary levels, both North Creek and South Meadows saw classroom, corridor and system upgrades that directly impacted the day-to-day experience for students and staff.”

One improvement at both those schools included adding ADA compliant door hardware, restrooms and upgrade drinking fountains to barrier free.

At Beach Middle School, there were also a range of improvements, including classroom career and technical learning spaces and Science/Art Classroom Renovations.

At Chelsea High School the completed projects included the addition of a state-of-the-art weight room and auxiliary gym along with the full renovation of the Ron Mead Auditorium to support the performing arts programs

“The through line across all of this work has been creating safe, modern and functional learning environments that are accessible for all of our students,” Kapolka said.

Looking ahead to this summer, a major focus will be the renovation of the Young Fives learning space at North Creek. Kapolka said the project is designed specifically for the youngest learners, “creating a developmentally appropriate environment that focuses on collaboration and play-based learning.”

He said design features of this renovated space brings an added natural light, softer colors and open space for shared learning and shared opportunities for the students and their teachers.

Also over the coming months, there will be the athletic field renovations at the varsity soccer, baseball and softball fields. Kapolka said these will enhance both students’ experiences and community use of the facilities, while also greatly increasing the district’s footprint of usable field space for the multitude of athletic, extracurricular and community events it supports.

The groundbreaking for the new Field house is expected late this summer or early fall. Its purpose will be for athletics, extracurricular and community use. Kapolka cited the community’s support through a donation of $1.8 million that will cover a large portion of the cost while the remainder will come from the district’s sinking fund.

At the May 4 meeting, the CSD Board of Education gave the green light to move forward on the field house project.

Kapolka told the board the facility is designed to provide a flexible, multi use indoor space that can accommodate a variety of student activities, including athletic training, physical education, and extracurricular programming, while also creating opportunities for broader community use. The design emphasizes durability, flexibility and long term value for the district.

Funding for this project will be supported through a combination of privately donated funds, totaling approximately $1.8 million, with the remaining balance of approximately $2.041 million funded through the district’s sinking fund.

In 2027, the district has planned work to include new secure vestibules at CHS and Pierce Lake; a new playground area at Pierce Lake and the remodeling of Building 200 and miscellaneous campus-wide improvements.

Kapolka closed out his update by saying, “The scope of the work that we have collectively achieved in the district over the last seven years has been transformative on so many levels. We are extremely grateful for the continued support and partnership of our Bulldog community for making this work possible, and we look forward to the work ahead as we continue to make the Chelsea School District the best it can be.”

Photo 1: Chelsea High School has seen work and can expect to see more in the coming years. Photo by Sue Kelch