Relocating gifted program a concern of Barrington school plans
The threat of relocating Hough Elementary School's gifted program became a concern as the Barrington Area Unit School District 220 board continued discussing solutions to the aging school's problems.
Greg Stahler, an architect contracted by the district, presented the board Tuesday with eight renovation options, each of which addressed the 50-year-old school's problems of ADA compliance, front entrance safety and a lack of staff bathrooms. About 60 people attended the nearly two-hour discussion.
Some of those options included relocating to a different school the extended self-contained gifted program, a districtwide program that has been based at Hough for at least 30 years. The program gives gifted students advanced instruction in several subjects with the same teacher throughout the day.
Georgia Nelson, who has taught the district's gifted students at Hough for 20 years, was one of four members of the Hough community to ask the board not to move the program.
"I beg you, don't break up our happy home," Nelson said.
Much of the discussion on the plans revolves around the building's limited space. Superintendent Brian Harris called the challenge of solving the building's problems while still having room for the school to house the gifted program a puzzle.
The renovation plans, which are not yet final, fall into two broad categories: plans that would work within the school's confined space, which carry an estimated cost of between $400,000 and $600,000, and plans that would add space to the building, which would cost around $900,000 more.
Board member Wendy Farley, a longtime Hough Elementary advocate, said she supported a plan that would add to the building's footprint because the building is overdue for an improvement. That drew applause from most of the crowd.
The board members asked the district staff to present more plans that didn't involve moving the gifted program for them to consider further at their meeting next week.
The board is running up against some deadlines to decide which, if any, renovation plan it wants to go for. If the board commits to a plan by its Feb. 16 meeting it will be able to put the project out for bid in time for work to be completed by next school year.