Whitnall superintendent Brady Ranky details progress on referendum-funded construction

Whitnall School District Superintendent Brady Ranky posted a brief video update saying the district broke ground about a month ago on a referendum-funded construction project and showing work underway across campus. He identified demolition of the old weight room and removal of an adjacent parking area to make space for a new pool, ongoing foundation work for the pool, phased locker-room demolitions, a kitchen renovation at the high school and removal of a boiler installed in 1959 to be replaced by a new air-conditioning system.

Ranky introduced the update by saying, "About a month ago, we broke ground on our new referendum project," and that the clip was intended to "show you a little bit about what's been going on over the course of the last month." He noted crews have completed demolition of the former weight room and removed an athletic parking area to allow siting of the planned pool, and that foundation work for the pool facilities has already begun. "Strong foundation is critically important for any building," Ranky said, underscoring the early focus on substructure work.

Inside the building, Ranky said crews have started demolition of locker rooms that will be updated, with one locker room already stripped out and additional locker rooms scheduled for work through the summer. He also toured the high school kitchen, saying contractors "ripped the floor out," trenched down to access a pumping line and gas hose, and have covered the trench with a concrete top coat pending an eventual epoxy surface; Ranky said the kitchen work is a priority intended to be ready by next school year.

Ranky pointed to mechanical upgrades as another major element, saying that the final boiler in the building’s 1959 section has been removed and will be replaced with a new air-conditioning system that will serve the whole building. He described that removal as a difficult but necessary step toward a districtwide HVAC upgrade.

The video frames these items as early-stage construction milestones rather than final outcomes: Ranky repeatedly described demolition and foundation progress and set an operational goal for the kitchen by the next school year. The update did not include a detailed project schedule, overall budget figures, or contractor names.