Northwest High School students will get to use the newly completed multipurpose addition come the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 18.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the school on Monday to mark the completion of the 15,900-square-foot, two-story addition that is attached to the school’s gymnasium and houses a storm shelter, a weight room and a space for the wrestling program.
The old gym has been in use since 1998, and the addition is a significant improvement to the high school campus in Cedar Hill, school officials said.
Northwest High Principal Stella Viehland said the addition was designed following extensive research and student input, including feedback from student athletes. She said the addition is a top-notch facility that reflects the community support the district saw when voters approved a $28 million bond issue in April 2023 to fund it and other improvements throughout the district.
Construction of the multipurpose space began in late July 2024 and was completed in time for student use this school year. The district budgeted $6.8 million to build, equip and furnish the multipurpose addition at the high school, and was finished slightly over budget, with some contingency money used for items that came up along the way, said Mark Janiesch, the school district’s chief operating officer.
“We spent about $6.5 million on the addition, which included additional cameras; electronic keypad accesses; the awnings over the existing gym entrance; blue gutters and flashing on the existing gym to tie into the addition; backlighting of the ‘Northwest’ letters and related wiring; lighting on the Lion head; upgrading of gas lines for additional pressure; additional concrete work in the front with striping; and decorative gravel around the outside,” he said.
Another $500,000 was spent on furniture, fixtures and equipment, such as the wrestling mats, rubber and turf flooring in the workout room, A/V equipment, desks, trash cans and more, Janiesch said.
He said students are excited about the new workout equipment and the increased gym capacity. The addition includes air conditioning, a feature students requested and was funded with leftover bond issue money.
School officials say there are plans to later add air conditioning to the old gym.
Mary Thomasson, the Northwest R-1 School District Board of Education president, said the new space is perfect for all students to use, adding that she appreciates the community supporting the district by approving the bond issue.
Northwest athletic director Kyle Wampler said the space will accommodate up to 50 students per hour with two teachers per hour, maximizing supervision and convenience for students involved in multiple sports.
“Our main goal is to strengthen our students’ athletic performance in a safe and accommodating environment,” he said. “The space, due to its size, can also benefit students who might be involved in multiple sports programs. They can practice throughout the day, and the space is extremely accessible to students.”
Wampler also talks about the significant upgrades to the weight room, emphasizing the work Kyle Lang from Show Me Weights completed there.
In addition, he praised the work SPEC Athletic completed on the turf in the weight room.
“Some highlights of the room include tablets for logging workouts, self-sufficient racks and a turf area for workouts. For the turf, instead of students exercising on hard tile, it will be easier on the body, and it simulates more of what the athlete would do in a game,” Wampler said.
Additionally, the space doubles as a storm shelter, enhancing student and faculty safety.
”We’re excited that this addition is going to give more students access to practice spaces, to strength training and to grow as athletes and as people,” Superintendent Jennifer Hecktor said.