The Waterloo School District is hosting tours of Waterloo Junior High School and accepting  public feedback over the coming days to give the community a chance to help determine the aging school’s future.

A tour will take place this Thursday, Nov. 6, from 5:30-6:30 p.m., with another this Saturday, Nov. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The district announced these tours via Facebook and in district communications, saying the tours are meant to help the community “see first-hand some of the reasons behind the necessary planning for renovation or new construction.”

Through the district’s Facebook page, community members can access a link to a Google Forms page, allowing them to share thoughts on whether the district should conduct major renovations to the current WJHS building or construct a new facility altogether. They can also explain their primary concerns regarding the school’s future.

This Google Form also provides a link to a presentation previously shared at a school board meeting and made by FGM Architects, whom the district hired to analyze the school’s needs and estimate costs of renovations and new construction.

As previously reported and detailed in that presentation, key concerns in the 83-year-old building include basic utilities like rusty pipes, an aged electrical system and an HVAC system outdated to the point that maintenance staff have had to salvage parts from unit ventilators in unused rooms to repair other units.

In this discussion, a survey from school staff and faculty is also being considered. Additional concerns in this area include the school’s crowded hallways, fiber internet, new locker rooms and a more secure front entrance.

For more information on the tours or about the WJHS survey, email Waterloo Superintendent of Schools Brian Charron at bcharron@wcusd5.net.