While students are enjoying their summer vacations, Central Community Unit School District 301 officials are hard at work getting the buildings ready for the first day of school on Wednesday, August 19.
“We did a lot of work this summer and contracted out some big projects,” said Dan Polowy, the district’s director of facility operations. “We painted the hallways and updated the BluePoint Alert Solutions system in all of the buildings.”
The system made by BluePoint Alert Solutions, 425 Renner Drive in Elgin, was named the 2014 new product of the year for crisis management by Security Products Magazine. According to information from its website, the system “instantly notifies law enforcement and building occupants of an emergency situation, expedites a rapid response, triggers emergency management and ultimately saves lives. The system does for law enforcement what a fire alarm does for the fire department.”
During this week’s District 301 board meeting, Polowy announced other major improvements that have been made or are ongoing in district buildings.
“The Central High School commons received a face lift,” Polowy said. “The washrooms have been updated, and the gym floor was sanded and painted.”
The unusually heavy rains this summer put a damper on the roof replacement project at Central Middle School in Burlington.
“The project is now 60 percent complete,” Polowy said. “We’ve been working on it during every good weather day. The project is going well.”
Howard B. Thomas Grade School in Burlington has undergone carpet repair and work on its bleachers. Tuckpointing is being done at Lily Lake Grade School in Maple Park.
“We are working on putting air conditioning in Prairie View Grade School in Elgin,” Polowy said. “The project is ahead of schedule. Prairie Knolls Middle School in Elgin is getting a 30 by 32-foot shed by the football field, and the district office is getting some remodeling.”
Polowy said that a 5- to 10-year capital improvement plan for the district will be presented to the board in the fall.
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Matt Smith, the district’s director of technology, has been working toward getting the district’s new technology program ready. Tablets will be used for kindergarten and first-grade students, while Chromebooks will be used for students in second grade through senior year in high school.
“We are 95 percent complete for wireless,” Smith said.
Superintendent Todd Stirn said recent development has produced impact fees for the district.
“There has been new home construction in Elgin’s west corridor,” Stirn said. “Developers continue to expect more growth. The 15 new home starts in May brought in $111,967 in impact fees. The 14 new home starts in June brought in $122,292.”
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter.