Many students noticed that something was different about Air Academy when they returned from spring break.

Some of the tiles in A building are gone.

But why?

Some speculate about a similar situation with B building and asbestos, while others just joke about the school not being able to afford them. However, the change seems to be, in part, an aesthetic choice.

AAHS principal Dan Olson stated, “We are getting new flooring, and then we are going to be getting a fresh coat on A building and remodeling the entrance to get it up to modern standard, to get a fresh look on Air Academy.”

However, the flooring change in A building is indeed linked to asbestos. “Yes, whenever you replace the flooring in an old building, they have a company come in and get rid of all the asbestos. They had to get rid of the asbestos before we get new flooring,” Olson said. This was also done during B building’s renovation.

Air Academy High School was founded in 1957, making the school 62 years old. At the time of original construction, asbestos was most likely used as insulation for the building, as it was a common insulator 60 years ago. This provides an explanation for the amount that was found in the building.

Olson additionally added that the entrance to A building will be remodeled in order to make the school appear fresh and clean. In terms of timing, Olson commented that the building will remain tileless “until summer; the whole building will be remodeled when school gets back in the fall.”

Olson also said, “For a building that’s over 60 years old, there are a lot of areas that need taking care of, this will be the last project that will be done with the bond money from 2016. The other projects will be done as soon as the funds become available.”

From this statement, it seems that the school will keep getting renovated until the need is fulfilled.

However, the timeline has not yet been established, as funds are running low. “…Our money from the bond has ran out, but my goal [for] each year [is] to put new flooring [and] paint different halls so that in five years, the rest of the building will be looking fresh and new,” Olson stated.

Even though Air Academy may look worse for wear at the moment, the vision for the future is clear: a more modern and appealing school for its students. And even though many students won’t be able to see the finished product, it still will benefit the school for years and generations to come.