When the winter break hits, school halls are supposed to fall silent. But when the final bell rings Friday afternoon, several schools throughout the northwest suburbs will be bustling with a variety of construction projects.
At Algonquin Junior High in Des Plaines, workers will return over the holiday break to finish installing soundproof windows–a project that was cut short last month after teachers raised air-quality concerns over the type of caulking being used for the project.
The district hired a consultant to determine whether the material posed any danger to pupils and staff, and recently declared the building safe. But officials decided to err on the side of caution and temporarily suspended work until the winter break.
In Prospect Heights, a weeklong effort to remove a gym floor made of asbestos tiling at Eisenhower School is scheduled to get under way Friday.
Meanwhile, workers for Glass Masters are hoping to finally put the wraps on the first phase of a $10 million soundproofing project at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, including the installation of several bays of windows along the school’s B-wing.
The work had been scheduled for completion by the beginning of the school year. But due to manufacturing delays and some problems with installation, Glass Masters has been unable to finish the job.