SJSD kick starts turf project
In a December 2024 Board of Education Meeting, the St. Joseph School District approved site preparation efforts for high school turf installation.
Benton, Central and Lafayette high schools will be transitioning their football fields into turf.
“It’s an exciting process, it’s something that, you know, doesn’t happen a lot of times, even at other places,” said Shannon Nolte, the director of non-academic student services at SJSD. “But, we’re so excited when the community decided that was something we wanted to go forward with.”
The estimated budget overall, is projected to be about $6.4 million.
The funding comes from a $20 million non-tax increase bond that was approved in April of 2024.
Nolte said, the implementation of the turf fields will not only positively impact athletes, but others as well.
“They’re more durable, more teams and groups can use them, so you know, you can have your football team, your soccer team on the same field,” said Nolte. “It’s more weather resistant...It drains better, so you’re not worried about the weather being too wet and delaying or postponing games or making it unsafe.”
The turf fields could also be used for outdoor class sessions, more activities in physical education classes, marching band use and more.
Nolte said the cost for maintenance would be less than the cost of care for a grass field.
“There is maintenance and upkeep on these,” said Nolte. “But it’s not near as much (as a grass field) and wouldn’t take as long to heal...When you have so many games and so many things going on, sometimes they (grass fields) don’t recover and then they start losing their color and it becomes a little more unsafe.”
In regards to the construction starting after long discussions about two new high schools, Nolte said the turf fields will still be used throughout the District.
Regarding the District’s long-rang plan, and if approved in the upcoming municipal election, a new high school would not be completed until the 2028-2029 school year.
Even if the construction of new high schools was approved by voter’s on April 8, the turf fields would be utilized by students playing in middle school sports.
“Right now, as it stands, our middle school students don’t get...They don’t have a lot of opportunity to be on fields...” said Nolte. “So it does unlock a lot more possibilities.”
Central High School took to Facebook on Jan. 29 to inform stakeholders that the track at Noyes Stadium will be closed, while under construction, and will be unavailable throughout the summer.
The project is expected to be completed for all three high schools by the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
