Renovation work at Frankfort Middle School has been underway for several years, beginning with early planning and design in 2022. To move the project from concept to construction, the district partnered with Tecton Construction Management. Their role has been to help update the existing building to shape it into a space that better suits both the classroom needs and the daily use of FMS students and staff.
Project Manager Paul Krick has been involved in the work from the beginning. His responsibilities stretch across planning, budgeting, design, and construction, and he has helped guide the school’s long-term vision for the building. Krick shared that Tecton uses a process called Tecton Filtering™, which “takes an all-inclusive view of a project, not just individual moving parts.” This process helped identify potential savings early in the planning process, such as the ability to add air conditioning to the primary gym – something the building had never had.
Krick also explained how his role functions within the company. “A project manager role at Tecton is not what I would call a standard project manager role, or what I have viewed as a project manager in past experiences. At Tecton, we manage a project from initial conception to completion, meaning we are deeply involved from the beginning of design, with you as the owner and the architect and engineering firms, budgeting, and taking management of the project until final completion.” That level of involvement has helped keep the work aligned with the district’s goals for the space.
The design work ran from July 2022 through November 2023. Bidding followed in December 2023, and construction officially began in the spring of 2024. Work will continue through late 2026 to finish the remainder of the building updates. Areas of the building have opened in phases, allowing students and staff to begin using the updated spaces as they are completed.
Major parts of the project include:
- A 20,000-square-foot Performing Arts Facility with new music classrooms and a 585-seat auditorium
- Relocated administrative and guidance offices with a new secure entry
- An expanded cafeteria
- Three new classrooms on the second floor
- Conversion of former music rooms into three new 6th-grade classrooms
- New paint, ceilings, flooring, and LED lighting throughout several classrooms, hallways, and restrooms
- Resurfaced parking areas
The Performing Arts addition is one of the clearest examples of how these improvements directly support student programs. Krick explained, “The Performing Arts Addition was the highly anticipated portion of this entire project. The ability to hold full large-scale events with the band, orchestra, and choir students was needed and fulfilled a long overdue need for the middle school facility.” The new spaces give students room to practice and perform without relying on shared or temporary areas.
Several updates also focus on safety and daily circulation through the building. The relocated office spaces and secure entry are central to those changes. Krick noted, “If you ask me as a parent, the relocation of the administrative office and the incorporated new secure entry was just as important, if not a more important part, that provides peace of mind to not just the parents, but staff, and students.”
Students have reacted strongly to the improvements. Krick shared, “I have received numerous high-fives and fist-bumps from students in the hallways after they have been able to use a new area of their school.” Each new classroom and hallway update has added a sense of freshness to the building, which students notice right away.
FMS Principal Kelly Berenda also spoke about the overall progress: “It’s hard to believe that we are on the tail end of the middle school project with completion a little over a year away. So much has changed at FMS, and each day we get a little closer to a refreshed, more functional, and beautiful learning environment for our students. It has been a great journey so far. Thank you to our students, faculty, parents, and the community for celebrating the journey with us AND for your patience and flexibility as we have navigated the dust and detours together.”
The work at FMS continues to move forward. With each phase completed, the building becomes more practical for teachers, more comfortable for students, and better suited for the programs housed inside. As construction continues, the school grows closer to the vision set at the start: updated facilities that reflect what students and staff need both now and in the years ahead.