Clinton Schools History

Soon this building too proved inadequate and the Village Hall was used for school purposes during the years 1922 to 1924 while a new and much larger building was constructed near the grade school. Jay Green, a member of the building committee, successfully encouraged the inclusion of a gym in the new high school. The building was completed in 1924 at a cost of about $100,000.00. This new high school was a three-story red brick with white trim. It had wide terrazzo corridors and stairs, and fine oak woodwork. A two story addition was made to this building in 1936-37 which included a home economics department, music department, agriculture room, storage space and restrooms.

A new 15 room grade school was built on the former site of the school athletic field on East Street at a cost of 225,000.00. Ground was broken for the new building in August of 1954; the cornerstone laid the first week of May, 1955. This fine building was dedicated on Nov. 13, 1955. In addition to the 15 classrooms, it had a large kindergarten room, office, health room, kitchen for serving hot lunches to students, and a large multi-purpose room.

Prior to the building of the new grade school, several rural schools petitioned to consolidate with the village schools. The first schools to petition to join the Clinton School District were: Maple Lawn, Conley, Clinton Corners, Clinton District No. 2, Joint Districts of Clinton, Bradford and La Prairie, Jefferson Prairie, Hofto, Northrup, Maple Grove and Summerville. Two years later petitions were received from Murray, Zilley, part of Lowell, part of Hart, part of Dougan and Hickory Grove. The petitions were all granted and the Clinton Community School District was formed in 1954.

A new senior high school building was started in July, 1957, with the building occupied in the fall of 1958. This building was to house the 10th, 11th and 12th grades, and is located just south of Milwaukee Road on the east edge of the village. This building was erected at a cost of $450,000.00, having 10 classrooms, including science rooms, band room, agriculture and shop room, vocational shop, home economics department and art classroom. There was also a general office, Superintendent's office, principal's office, storage space, teachers' lounge, health room, rest rooms, and a large 90 by 95 gym.

The building on Mill Street which had been the high school was adapted to serve as a junior high school and housed the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. In 1961 a one story addition was built to the south side of this building at a cost of $150,000.00. In this addition are six classrooms, a new principal's office, library, counseling room, health room, teacher's room, rest rooms and storage space.

The building on Mill Street which had been the high school was adapted to serve as a junior high school and housed the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. In 1961 a one story addition was built to the south side of this building at a cost of $150,000.00. In this addition are six classrooms, a new principal's office, library, counseling room, health room, teacher's room, rest rooms and storage space.

Clinton voters approved spending $15.9 million for the new high school in an October 1999 referendum. It was the fourth attempt by the school district to get voters' approval for the project since the mid 1990s. The new 140,000-square-foot high school sits on 60 acres. The general contractor was J.P. Cullen & Sons. 

A $700,000 budget was used to renovate the current high school and will be used in replacing electrical and heating systems.

— Still several months away from completion, community members got their first look at the layout and interior of the new Clinton Community High School during open house tours Saturday afternoon.

‘‘Everything I've heard today has been highly positive,'' said Clinton Community School District Superintendent Rebecca Nodorft. ‘‘The school's just looking sharp.''

Offices, classrooms and athletic facilities have begun taking shape, giving area residents a small glimpse of what the finished project will look like.

The tour began at the main entrance. A high-ceiling commons area designed to be used in a variety of ways sprawls out to hallways leading in every direction. On the other side of the commons area is one of the three main entrances to the gymnasium.

Athletic Director and women's basketball coach Richard Gilbertson greeted the groups in the gym, which is still awaiting delivery of its state-of-the-art basketball floor.

Twelve basketball hoops hang from the ceiling. Gilbertson said there is enough room for three full-size basketball courts running east and west. An additional main court runs north and south in an area designed to accommodate 1,400 cheering Cougar fans.

‘‘We should be able to host large tournaments in volleyball and basketball,'' Gilbertson said.

Student host Kallie Knutson told community members about the library. Frosted-glass skylights bathe the entire library with natural light. In addition to normal material, the library will also have space for Internet-capable computers.

Metal framework separated the various areas of the special education classrooms and offices, which Linda Gracyalny said will allow the district to provide individual instruction to those students who need it.

New choir and band rooms have been designed with angled walls and acoustic tiles to improve sound quality. Three practice rooms will be designed with glass panes in them so teachers can keep a constant eye on students using them.

Wood shop, metals room and science areas have been designed with special rooms and work areas specific to each department. The wood shop and metals room will feature storage cabinets built into the walls, as well.

A feature at the new high school is the greenhouse attached to the agriculture class space.

Tom Amundson, director of the agriculture program, said the greenhouse will allow the district to expand its curriculum into areas of science that are developing and growing quickly.

Nodorft said the anticipated finishing date for construction crews is Oct. 1. If everything goes according to schedule, she said she thought the district could begin moving in before January 2002.

(Beloit Daily News - Monday, June 11, 2001)