The Scott City community gathered Wednesday to celebrate the grand opening of the school district's storm shelter and visual and performing arts center -- and to surprise retiring superintendent Diann Ulmer with a farewell presentation.

Ulmer, who served as superintendent for 13 years, retires this summer. She began the evening's celebration by providing background about the project before cutting a ribbon near the shelter's entrance.

The $2.1 million project has been a work in progress for about five years. Built to withstand an EF-5 tornado -- or winds of up to 250 mph -- the 8,989-square-foot structure has a capacity of 1,275 people and will be open to the public if severe weather occurs.

Seventy-five percent of the shelter was funded by a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant, and the remaining 25 percent was paid for by the district.

Built to serve a dual purpose so the building can be used year round, an art gallery is filled with student work. The theater has 315 seats and will be used for theater, choir and band performances, as well as back-to-school workshops, annual kindergarten screenings and meetings with students.

"Getting to this day has been a long and winding road," Ulmer said before sharing the steps it took to start and complete the project. She referred to the deadly tornadoes that struck Joplin, Missouri, and Moore, Oklahoma, and the fear the storms left in their wake.

In the past, when tornado warnings were issued at Scott City and students were moved to designated safe areas such as locker rooms, Ulmer said there was always an uneasy feeling as school administrators wondered whether it was the safest place for students and employees.

"It's times like these when I knew in my heart that we had to see this safe room project through," she said. "And it did become a passion of mine for completion."

Ulmer went on to thank many people who helped complete the project, but she wasn't expecting former and current colleagues to give a presentation of their own.

"The person most responsible for bringing this visual and performing arts center and safe room to our school is Diann Ulmer," said Scott Amick, former school board president.

He detailed Ulmer's 28-year career with the Scott City School District, where she worked 10 years as a high-school math teacher, five as middle-school principal and 13 as superintendent.

"I'm very proud to have been a member of the board that hired Diann as superintendent," he said. "The years presented many challenges, but Diann always handled each and every one with great professionalism. Diann has been a very good steward of the district's finances, and she's always had the best interest of the students and faculty at the forefront."

After other thank-you and farewell speeches, Ulmer was presented with a plaque to keep and an honorary plaque that will be displayed at the shelter.

"I can't express how much it means to me to be recognized this way," said Ulmer as she fought back tears. "I just love the kids who are here, and I love this community. It's been a marvelous ride."

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639

Pertinent address:

3000 Main St., Scott City, Mo.