For many students here at Vel Phillips Memorial High School, including me, our school has been under construction ever since we began here as freshmen. But after years of unfinished ceilings and sharing the building with construction workers, construction is finally finished!

Since the summer started in June, construction crews have finished the pool and pool locker rooms, replacing over 110,000 tiles on the pool deck and 7,000 on the walls. Athletic rooms like the strength and fitness center were just completed with a rubber floor. Other administrative rooms and classrooms have also been redone, with carpeting, MEPF work, framing, and drywall. The LMC, which was closed off at the end of last school year, has undergone quite a transformation, with mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection (MEPF) installed and new small group instruction rooms for students to study. Finishing touches included landscaping, moving in new furniture, and putting up interior signs.

Finally, many of you may have noticed the new backlit sign on the exterior of the building with the words “Vel Phillips Memorial High School,” which is now visible to anyone driving down Gammon Road. 

All in all, the construction, which began in May of 2022, has added over 46,000 square feet to the building and will hopefully make back-to-school season more exciting. This climactic finish to years of construction was celebrated on August 30th at an Open House from 1-3 pm, and a Ribbon Cutting and Renaming Ceremony at 2:15 pm. Findorff and MMSD students even hosted 30-minute guided tours at 1 pm and 1:30 pm. See you all soon in our newly renovated building!