Progress continues on Meadow Heights’ new FEMA structure

Meadow Heights District superintendent Brian White recently spoke about the new Federal Emergency Management Agency facility taking shape in front of the existing high school.

“This process began Oct. 31, 2020,” he said. “We’ve been at it for four and a half years.”

White said the project is a testament to “good things come to those who wait”, and he specifically mentioned the voters within the district who approved a bond issue for the improvements.

Initially, White thought the district would be awarded a grant in the first round in 2020. However, the district had to go through the process again, and it took until May 2023, before the grant from FEMA was awarded

“That set us up for having an exceptional building,” White said. “The punch list is scheduled for completion in August 2025. I’m confident we’ll be having next year’s basketball games in it, so that’s exciting.”

The total project is estimated to cost $5.5 million.

“We’re short on gymnasium facilities, and haven’t had a gym dedicated to each school,” White noted. “Our current high school gym will be more for our everyday programs. I want all of our middle school games played there. We’re going to reserve the FEMA building for high school games. We’re pretty stoked.”

Federal monies in 2021 and 2022 are going into the budget for the new structure, White noted.

“It is a FEMA storm shelter,” White said. “It’s just really well done, very carefully planned. The federal funding allowed us to make a building that’s not just your average storm shelter. It has a lot of details that most storm shelters do not have.”

This includes tornado-rated windows. The building’s shell and the window are rated for an F5 tornado.

“Thanks to the voters, we’re getting nice locker rooms and a larger lobby,” White said.

The gym, when completed, will be 90-by-100 feet, about 30 feet in height and approximately 9,000 square feet.

“It’s a FEMA grant for the FEMA portion by a ton of planning that went into making it a great gymnasium facility,” White said.

In total, it’ll be a usable space of 10,400 square feet, according to White.

The district officially broke ground on the project in September.

“It’s been a perfect, rare opportunity to build something like this long term in our district,” White said. “I’m amazed and super grateful it’s finally coming together.”

A few years ago, about half of the parking lot in the district was gravel. Eventually, all of the parking areas will be concrete, and the total number of spots will go from approximately 180 to 270.

Leadership changes

In addition to answering questions about the new construction of the FEMA structure, White also addressed a couple of leadership changes.

Mitch Nanney will be serving as the district’s superintendent starting Tuesday, July 1. The 2024-25 school year is his 20th year as Meadow Heights High School principal.

“He’ll be wrapping up our building projects,” White said, adding Nanney has filled various roles with the district in the past couple of decades. “He has served as transportation director, coached, drove a bus.”

Replacing Nanney at the principal post at the high school will be Kristi Hays. She starts as the MHHS principal July 1.

The veteran teacher is now a fourth grade elementary math teacher, who has 21 years with the district.

“It’s two great moves on leadership,” White said. “A lot of stuff is coming together. The grounds are improving; our personnel is improving.”

White, who has been with the Meadow Heights school district for five years, will be leaving to take over as superintendent for the Montgomery school district.