Some residents unhappy with security plan at Hough Elementary

Work is underway to address the problems with the Hough Elementary School building in Barrington, though it is unlikely the school will undergo the $2 million renovation that many in the Barrington elementary school's community wanted.

The problems with the 50-year-old building, at 310 S. Hough St., include security concerns at the front entrance, limited storage space and that there is only one staff bathroom.

The board approved a low-cost security plan at their last meeting to build a front desk near the main entrance and hire an employee to manage the people who go in and out of the building.

The plan would also add locks to the second set of front entrance doors and install a system where the front desk person can buzz visitors in after communicating with them via an intercom system.

Superintendent Brian Harris said the job has been posted, the equipment and furniture have been ordered, and the district hopes to implement the plan soon, without committing to a specific timeline.

Harris said he feels the plan at least equals the security level of that of all the other schools in the district.

Board member Wendy Farley said she feels the district's solution is a very temporary fix on what needs a long-term solution and that it doesn't adequately address the safety needs at Hough Street.

Farley, along with many members of the Hough Street Elementary community, support the $2 million renovation plan that will likely not be implemented next summer because of its cost and because it would change the building's footprint and would require additional building permits with the village of Barrington.

Board member Penny Kazimier, who serves on the facilities committee, said she is concerned that supporters of the $2 million renovation feel that Hough Street will be left behind by the board.

Kazimier said she has already met with Hough Street Principal Jim Aalfs as well as the school's architect to come up with other solutions to the building's problems that perhaps could be accomplished this summer.

She said the facilities committee is working hard, even scheduling additional meetings, to come up with many options that it can bring to the board in the spring to be considered with the district's other summer projects.

Board member Joe Ruffollo, also on the facility committee, said it is important to remember that there are other projects that need to be accomplished at the district's other 11 buildings as well this summer.

“The stuff we are trying to do isn't Cadillacs; it is patching,” Ruffollo said.

The facilities committee meets next at 4 p.m. Jan. 7 and Jan. 12.

The committee does not yet know where it will be meeting.