Wyneken Expansion News: 
 last updated Sunday, January 16, 2005

CONSTRUCTION PICTURES:
See inside the new buildings!

PLEASE NOTE that we are having problems with pictures from prior to June 2003. We are currently attempting to fix this problem. Thank you!

Phase II Construction and Remodeling Begins! 
July 1, 2003 June 18, 2003
May 2003 Bleacher Construction: 
March-April 2003
 January 7, 2003 December 4, 2002
November 15 & 18, 2002 November 1, 2002
September 25, 2002 September 5, 2002
August 15, 2002 July 15, 2002
June 29, 2002 June 2002
May 2002 March-April 2002
SUNDAY, MARCH 3, 2002: Groundbreaking ceremonies took place today, with nearly 200 members of the Wyneken community attending. The rite of groundbreaking was led by Pastors Brege, Dahling, and Olson of our three churches. Several people brought shovels along to participate in the first dig. Coverage of the event was found within the Decatur Daily Democrat and on WPTA TV 21 Alive. To prepare for construction, several trees were removed last week and the old storage garage/shop class was burned down on March 2nd. The next step is moving the gas line during the week of March 4th.

Click here to see groundbreaking pictures.
Click here to see panoramic photos of groundbreaking.
Click here to see March 2002 construction progress.
FEBRUARY 2002: A final bid has been accepted for Phase 1 of the Wyneken expansion project. The low bid was submitted by Zumbrun Construction, Inc., at $1,600,000. This covers the addition of the new classrooms, office, gymnasium, septic system, and parking lot. It is believed that occupation of the new building could take place by Christmas Break of this year.

Phase 2 construction will be based upon available funding. It would include renovation of the existing offices, kitchen/lunchroom, and upper grade restrooms. This phase is slated to begin in Summer 2002.
AUGUST 2001 UPDATE: This month, we...
* Finalized floor plans for state and local approval by the architect, Ken Nord of CE&M, Inc.
* Soil testing is being completed for the septic system design.
* Storm water detention areas are being planned.
* The gym size, ten feet wider than previously shown, will allow bleacher seating on both sides, and two practice courts will fit crosswise.
* A development plan hearing with the Adams County Planning Commission is scheduled for September.
* A construction schedule will be developed as progress is made on the plans, with most likely spring construction and fall site work possible.
IN SUMMER 2001, Wyneken volunteers started preparing the building site for next year's construction. The playground equipment was removed in mid-June for relocation away from the future building area. This will hopefully establish a new playground area that need not be moved again. On Saturday, July 7th, the two modular classrooms were moved from the north end of school to the front of the upper grades building. This will enable these rooms to be free of future construction noise and dust. During this year, Randy Everett will excavate the site, allowing the ground to settle before laying the foundation.
THE LUTHERAN FOUNDATION of Fort Wayne, Indiana has given the Association its second matching grant to date. It has given $100,000 for each of the three congregations to match. The overall project costs are currently just under $2,000,000. With the matches, our building fund will make the $1,000,000 mark. Thanks be to God for all the blessings He has given this project!
THE FACULTY OF WYNEKEN has decided to adopt its 2001-2002 school year theme with our construction project in mind. Our new theme will be "Christ Is Our Cornerstone".
AN UPDATE FROM MAY 2001:

The Wyneken Building Committee wishes to give an update on the progress of the building expansion program. The committee has been meeting since February 2001 and the members include: 

St. John’s - Leroy Hartman, Fred Sauer, Ron Fuhrmann (Chairman); 
St. Paul’s - Mike Fruchte, Thomas Korte, Alan Zimmerman;
Zion Friedheim - Randy Everett, Jim Crosby, Mike Werling (Secretary). 

The accomplishments made thus far include: Finalizing a floor plan to obtain state and local building permits, interviewing and selecting the architectural/engineering firm of CE & M Inc., (Ken Nord), removing and storing bleachers from Bellmont High School for use in our new gym, and planning a new septic system. The outside modular classrooms will be relocated this summer to accommodate both student use for next fall and building site preparation. A construction schedule will be finalized as the project proceeds. They anticipate beginning site preparation work this fall, and construction in Spring of 2002. Herman Linnemeier and Jim Crosby have volunteered to be the project managers representing Wyneken School Association.

NEWS FROM FEBRUARY 11, 2001

Two things were unusual about the Sunday, February 11th Wyneken Association gathering: the large crowd and the short meeting. Those present unanimously approved the proposed expansion project, as well as approving the new lease with St. John Bingen and approving the Building Committee. Little discussion accompanied these three items, causing the gathering to be ended after less than 30 minutes.

Stan Stoppenhagen (seen at far right; to his left are Building Committee members Ron Fuhrmann and Randy Everett), a two-term Christian Board of Education member who has been instrumental in assembling plans and support for this project, led most of the meeting. He found unilateral support from the assembly, as the three proposed resolutions passed with just minor word changes. With the Building Committee assembled, they will begin discussions and actions towards the beginning of the expansion.

The current sketch, popularly known as "Plan B", features an addition of six classrooms. Currently, three classes meet outside of the Wyneken structure. The 5th grade and 1st/2nd grade split class meet in adjoining modular buildings, while the pre-kindergarten meets off campus at Zion Lutheran Church (Friedheim). This expansion will reunite our campus for the first time since early 1997.

In addition, this will allow for our resource room to relocate to a larger-sized classroom. For many years, due to size constraints, this classroom has been located in the smallest room in the upper grades classrooms, only comfortably seating 4-5 students. This space was converted from a locker room in the early 1980s, and once served as Wyneken's computer lab.

The other large component is the new gymnasium. The current gym provides for no seating aside from benches that can be placed on the sidelines, making hosting events difficult to impossible. The new structure will be high school-sized and have bleachers.

The former gym will be divided into two sections. The south portion of the old gym will be converted into a lunchroom large enough for all-school seating. The old lunchroom will be used for kitchen storage, which presently has expanded into an outside freezer. The old kitchen will also be remodeled for the first time since the 1956 construction.

The north side of the old gym faces two possible uses. It may be used as a smaller recess room, for large activities or for inclement-weather days. The other use would be as a music, band and choir room. Currently, the band practices on the old gym stage, keeping it confined to a small area.

The current administrative offices will be moved to a new structure between the lower grades classrooms (built in 1980), the new gymnasium, and the new six-classroom addition. This will move the school entrance to the county road, and will be accompanied by a new parking lot. This new entrance will be helpful for security, helping separating gymnasium events from the rest of the school building. Also, this lot helps alleviate some of the parking problems by adding new spaces.

Finally, the old administrative hallway will be remodeled to allow meeting space and an area for teachers. Currently, meetings must be held in small areas (which do not provide for full privacy or comfort) or at St. John Bingen's fellowship hall. Teachers also will have an areas for such things as storage, for children to work independently, and for work outside of their classrooms.

It is to God's glory that this project begins. We pray that God continue to direct our time, talents, and tithes to this endeavor, as He already has. Thanks to all our members of the Wyneken community who have labored toward this moment, and who now join together to begin this awesome, Christ-centered task
News from December, 2000

The pledge drive is still on, with an end date of December 31st, 2000. At that time, all monies pledged will represent 65% of the building project cost. Right now, our goal is to have $1,300,000 pledged (65% of the $2,000,000 cost). There are a few weeks left for pledge cards to be turned into your churches. Please consider giving to this project. The goals and hopes, God willing, will be the break ground in Spring 2001.

For those giving end of the year donations, please consider donating through the AAL Member Gift-Matching fund or the similar Lutheran Brotherhood program. AAL will match up to $100 ($125 if you have given 20 volunteer hours this year to Wyneken) for each insurance policy you own. For example, a family of five with five policies can give up to $500 ($625 if all have volunteered) that full amount being matched for the Wyneken expansion program. LB will match up to $100 for members, and up to $50 for those who sign up with the company for a volunteer membership. The necessary brochures can be found at your church, school, or from your district representatives. For more information, call the school office (639-6177) or check out their websites by clicking on their logos.


NEWS FROM FALL, 2000

This view of the expansion faces east from County Road 350. To the right (south) would be St. John--Bingen, and to the left of the structures is the open space near the playground. The existing school is at the right (upper grades wing) and the right middle (lower grades wing).

A parking lot would be added between the road and the school. The large entrance would lead to a new office and the new gymnasium (the largest structure, in the middle).

The old gymnasium (just to the right of the new gym) would be partitioned as the lunch room and activity hall. In the floor plan inset, the additions are featured in yellow.

There will be six new classrooms on the new north wing. Renovations will be done to the kitchen area, as well as major replacement of older mechanical equipment in the old structure.

The former office and copier room will be remodeled into a faculty area and conference room.

Thanks to the crew at Martin Riley Mock for such a wonderful design, and to Jim Brune for making this design available in computer format
Communicants members were surveyed at their home churches Sunday, August 27, 2000 to see which plan was favored by the entire association. Plan B was chosen overwhelmingly by the congregations. 

This plan features six additional classrooms, located at the northern part of the campus. Four will house classrooms which currently are in modular buildings (1st/2nd grade and Mrs. Nichols' 5th grade), undersized (resource room), or off-campus (pre kindergarten). The additional classrooms will be used for specific classes (like music and art) until they are needed for school growth.

A high-school sized gymnasium is being added to the northeast corner of the school. The old gym will be partitioned to form a larger lunchroom and a "multi-purpose" room.

The office will be moved to the west side of the building, and a new parking lot will be placed there. The old offices, lunchroom and resource room will be remodeled to meet current spacing needs. 
©2003, Wyneken Memorial Lutheran School.