Today, Sheridan Middle School students and staff celebrated a milestone in the construction of their new building. Our construction crew placed the last beam at the top of the building’s structure. If you look closely at the photos you will see the beam was covered with hundreds of signatures from our students and staff, an American flag, our school district flag, and an evergreen tree. “Why the evergreen tree?” you might ask.

The tree, known as the topping tree, is an ancient construction tradition that celebrates the completion of the skeleton of a building. In modern day topping out ceremonies the tree is typically attached to the top beam as it's hoisted up in the air to signify the building has reached its final height.

For some builders, the evergreen tree symbolizes good luck for future occupants of the building, continued growth, and a safe completion of the project.

The new Sheridan Middle School will open in the fall of 2020.