After nearly a year of planning, remodeling, and construction, Healy High School is very close to having a dramatically improved East Wing which houses our industrial technology classes. These hands-on courses appeal to so many of our students, and many students continue their post-high school education and careers in these areas. Courses like construction, cabinet making, small gas engines, welding, greenhouse management, landscaping, veterinary science, and wiring/plumbing/concrete will all see vast improvements to equipment, storage, ventilation, and workspaces. 

All teaching spaces in this area have been updated with new HVAC, lighting, paint, flooring, and technology, resulting in brighter, cleaner spaces large enough to house three full-time teachers. The addition of a technology workroom to this area will allow industrial technology teachers and students to navigate between the woods, welding shops, and high-tech spaces that house equipment like plasma cutters, 3D printers, and laser engravers.  

The expansion of the welding and metals area allows for material storage, the breakdown and cutting of the metals, and the capacity for plasma cutting and shaping— all in one new well-vented area.  We are truly excited to provide this opportunity for our students and the capacity for our staff to implement a variety of classroom experiences using metals as the teaching tool.  The metals area expansion creates more than 5,000-square-feet of teaching space.

The wood shop has also been expanded with added storage areas to the shop, as well as a completely new dust vacuum system to provide the cleanliness and air quality of a professional shop. With the addition, the wood shop now offers approximately 3,500 square feet of space. 

As you walk down this new East Wing, the two south side classrooms are now merged into the Agricultural Center. This large space, approximately 1,800 square feet,  allows for expanded laboratory options for plants, genetics, landscaping, and the capacity for instruction in the multitude of areas that make up agronomy today.  The large merged rooms will have large south-facing windows to allow for growing and testing opportunities as well as easy access to the multiple greenhouses used in the fall and spring.

All shop and lab spaces can also access the newly created 1,400-square-foot Tech Classroom centrally located, adjacent to all the workspaces.  The Tech Classroom contains more high-tech learning opportunities like 3D Printers, Laser Engravers, Robotics and Computer stations, and other key components to the design, trades, and ag industries.  

We have also added a new special education classroom to this project. This new classroom provides some sensory room options and also independent living skills learning opportunities as students will be able to use the classroom’s dedicated kitchen, laundry, and other facilities. 

We are very close to the completion of this exciting project. The wood shop and welding shop should be operating at full capacity by the end of January. The ag room should be ready by the end of February.