Hoffman leads ‘long-overdue’ refresh at Syble Hopp School

Judith Munson

Contributor

June 1, 2026

APPLETON – Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction of Appleton is leading summer renovations at De Pere’s Syble Hopp School – which serves students with disabilities from seven Brown County districts – focusing on key facility upgrades.

Syble Hopp Administrator Erin Martini called the updates an “important step forward for our school.”

“These enhancements will help modernize our learning spaces and enhance the overall experience for our students and staff,” she said.

Kurt Peeters, director of design at Hoffman, said the project focuses on a school wing dating back to 1971 that makes up about a third of the building and serves as the first area visitors see when entering. 

“It’s the oldest part, so it needs the most work due to its age and the wear and tear it has endured for the last 50-plus years,” he said. “So, all the action is happening there for now.”

Though some of the initial work – renovating 50-year-old bathrooms – may not sound exciting, Peeters said it is actually eagerly anticipated by students and staff.

“Everybody’s very excited,” he said. “You can get pretty excited about restrooms when they are that old.”

Peeters said the project emphasizes improving accessibility, safety and security throughout the school.

The summer work, he said, marks the first phase of a broader master plan Hoffman was commissioned to develop for Syble Hopp School.

“This phase mainly entails building maintenance items for now,” he said. “Obviously, accessibility is extremely important to the school, given the student population, so the restroom remodeling addresses improving accessibility.”

Peeters said crews will fully demolish and rebuild two multi-use restrooms to bring them up to code, while also expanding six single-occupant classroom restrooms to improve accessibility. 

He said the wing will also receive new hallway lockers and updated classroom cabinetry. 

“There is built-in cabinetry in each of the classrooms in the 1971 wing, and it is all variegated, kind of falling apart, just showing its old age,” he said. “So, we are actually ripping it out and shifting to movable cabinetry to provide greater flexibility and functionality within the classroom spaces. That will be a really big upgrade for the classrooms.”

Other updates, Peeters said, include new paint, ceilings and furniture for the classrooms and other maintenance-related work such as replacing boilers and water heaters.

He said upgrades will also be made to the school’s locker rooms, along with enhancements to internal and external security checkpoints designed to improve main office security and update entry access points.

“As this is an area considered a little bit more vulnerable, we wanted to increase security for the staff,” he said. “They already have a secure entry where they can buzz people into the main office area, but staff don’t have a good way to get out of that area; there is not really a back exit. So, the way we look at it, at least for this phase, [is] we want to make them as secure as possible where they are.” 

Peeters said the entry and front office area will be upgraded with bullet-resistant transaction windows, including a wide sliding window, along with improvements to the school’s second set of front doors.

“That second set of doors is getting some extra security measures, such as additional security hardware and the key fob system – that sort of thing,” he said.

All part of a plan

Peeters said the entire initial phase of the school’s master plan will renovate about 3,430 square feet, including all K-5 classrooms and much of the 6-Transition area classrooms.

He said Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction began developing the full-school master plan a little more than a year ago.

“We start by conducting a comprehensive facility assessment, which covers code compliance, safety and security provisions, accessibility, building condition and long-term functionality,” he said. “Other possible additions include a gymnasium and additional classrooms. But obviously, there’s a price tag with that and a lot of decisions that need to be made regarding other recent improvements and how these additions would tie into it.”

Peeters said the timeliness of this project reflects the school’s need to accommodate continued growth. 

“They are growing,” he said. “They are a very special, one-of-a-kind school that serves a select student population that is very well supported by the community.” 

Looking to what’s next, Peeters said the team at Hoffman is focusing on how future remodeling efforts can better improve the functionality of each classroom.

“We really want to make sure we are planning for the future with this initial stage, so the work will not be wasted when it comes to meeting future needs,” he said.

Peeters said Hoffman’s expertise in school projects is rooted in its 134-year history, with K-12 work serving as a primary focus area.

“Some of the recent schools we have worked on within the Appleton Area School District include a new elementary school and a couple of middle school remodels,” he said. “We’re also working in Shawano right now, doing a lot of work at the Shawano High School. We are also currently working in the Marion and Shiocton school districts.” 

Peeters said it has been a joy working with the teachers, staff and students at Syble Hopp School during the planning for this initial phase of construction.

“They create such a positive and welcoming environment,” he said. “It has made this work feel especially meaningful and energizing. They are just really great people. When we are there, working with them, it doesn’t feel like work. We see a lot of smiling faces. We have a lot of fun.”