Photo by Clay Schuldt Superintendent Jeff Bertrang shows the school new equipment at the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center. A new industrial sander was install recently. Pictured from left: Melissa Sunderman, Supt. Jeff Bertrang and Jonathan Shiro.

NEW ULM — With the start of the new school year a little more than a week away, the New Ulm School Board took a tour Thursday of district buildings.

The tour included a walk-through of the Middle School, Jefferson Elementary, High School, Washington Learning Center and the Career and Technical Education Center.

Superintendent Jeff Bertrang led the walk-through, pointing out maintenance and changes made to the properties done during the summer. Each building went through summer cleaning and maintenance, most of which is completed. Teachers had begun preparing classrooms for the arrival of students.

New tables and chairs were installed in some middle and high school classrooms, including a new tiered table system. Some classrooms feature standing tables in the back for students who prefer to study while standing.

Bertrang said the classroom doors in the middle school have all been replaced within the last year. Half the doors in the Jefferson building will be replaced in the coming year. All classroom doors can lock from both sides for security purposes.

The middle school also received an upgrade on security cameras. The new cameras are able to view in multiple directions at one time with greater image clarity.

Media center layouts changed in every building. In middle school, the computer banks were spread out through the room instead of clumping them in one area.

The high school saw a reduction in computer rooms. Since every high school student is given a laptop, the need for computer labs is reduced. Bertrang said the former computer rooms were repurposed into classrooms to meet a growing need for space. The school has seen an increase in enrollment since the building was designed.

The high school is still waiting for the delivery of 85 new lockers for the ninth-grade class. Currently, the high school has more students enrolled than lockers available.

New shot clocks have been installed in the high school gym.

Washington Learning Center is preparing for approximately 150 kindergartners this year. This will breakdown into eight sections of kindergarten.

The buildings are finding new ways to utilize hallway space. The middle school and high school have tables and workspaces in between classrooms. These areas can be used for group projects. This was a feature at the high school for years but is becoming a part of the middle school. The idea is to give the school a college campus feel.

The tour ended at the CTE Center, which has been up and running for a year. The center continues to expand its equipment, including an industrial sander and automotive painting equipment.

The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 29, for fifth-ninth grades. All other grades except kindergarten will begin Tuesday, Aug. 30. Kindergarten starts Wednesday, Aug. 31.