At its meeting Feb. 17, Sturgis Public Schools Board of Education approved a partnership with consulting firm Wightman to “re-imagine” physical spaces throughout the district.
An initial meeting with representatives from Wightman was set for Feb. 27, to begin the planning process.
Wightman was selected from among 11 entities that submitted a bid.
The collaborative is one element of a strategic plan established by SPS in 2024.
According to superintendent Art Ebert, the district’s operations goal statement states to develop a plan, prior to 2026, that outlines how the district will reconfigure student environments.
One of the interim targets within that goal is to secure funding in 2026-27 for building and facility plans.
“We selected Wightman as our partner, because they are skilled in helping districts gather widespread community feedback,” Ebert said after the meeting. “This feedback will ultimately guide us in developing a list of projects.”
Within the past few years, the district held several visioning sessions, which provided a preliminary list of enhancements.
Ebert summarized a few targets identified during those discussions:
- Replacement of Sturgis Community Pool with a new pool attached to the high school. The current facility is 50 years old.
- Conversion of the current Sturgis Community Pool building into a multi-use facility for youth.
- Develop a transition to traditional K-5 schools. That could involve a combination of renovation and construction.
- Addition of grandstands to the soccer stadium, with a press-box and locker room.
- Replacement of the track at Sturgis High School.
- Installation of artificial turf on the high school football field.
- Reassessment of school media centers.
- Install secure vestibules at all schools.
“This list of potential projects likely will shift as we gather feedback from the community as we ensure that we are putting forth projects that the community supports,” Ebert said.
Cost and funding details for specific initiatives has not been determined.
In the interview process to determine a consultant, Ebert said school officials noticed a unique feature of Wightman’s philosophy. As some project goals were presented to representatives, they asked on several occasions, “Are you sure that’s what stakeholders want?”
“We want a firm that will ask those types of questions,” Ebert told the school board at the Feb. 17 meeting.
Wightman, founded in 1946, has 11 locations throughout Michiana. The company analyzes, advises and designs projects in collaboration with commercial, educational, energy and government organizations in the Great Lakes region.
The company’s approach with the education sector is to gather details about an organization’s needs and expectations through a “design thinking” process.
Central to Wightman’s design philosophy are “comfortable, functional spaces where students and educators are free to focus on teaching and learning,” according to the company’s website.
The firm uses research-based techniques to increase efficiency, reduce operating cost and promote environmentally sustainable design.
Among Wightman recent clients is Glenn Public School, considered the oldest continuous rural academic district in the state.
The school had a 4,400 square-foot, three-room schoolhouse more than 160 years old. GPS officials hoped to find an economically feasible way to expand programming while honoring the school’s history and mission.
Following consultation with officials and community stakeholders, a survey was created to identify key strategic goals. After data from a survey was compiled, GPS Board of Education approved a construction budget for a 1,190 square-foot addition that meets five key programming objectives for the proposed school expansion. It led to a bond campaign that received voter approval in 2022.
