Des Plaines' Algonquin Middle opens after weeks of uncertainty

The first half-day of classes for nearly 700 Algonquin Middle School students began without a hitch this morning despite ongoing construction on a portion of the Des Plaines school.

Unfinished hallways and staircases, missing ceiling and floor tiles, and boxes still waiting to be unpacked in some classrooms speak to how close the school came to not opening, due to a three-week laborers strike that delayed school construction projects throughout the West, Northwest and North suburbs.

Teachers didn't have access to the building to set up their classrooms until this past weekend.

Classes began today at all Des Plaines Elementary District 62 schools, including Cumberland, Forest and Chippewa that also are undergoing construction. The district is in the midst of a $109 million master plan for upgrades over the next three years in all 13 buildings.

At Algonquin, walls at the west end of the first and second floor hallways separate the school's main learning areas from the $17 million addition and renovation project that is not scheduled to come online until 2011-2012.

A temporary reception area has been set up in a classroom on the second floor of the school. The new administration offices/reception area and main entrance to the school will be located in the new addition on the west side of the building.

Newly renovated bathrooms, new plumbing, sprinkler, fire alarm, and public address systems were up an running Monday, district construction manager Raymond Prokop of Wight & Co. said during a tour of the school before students arrived.

Prokop said construction crews focused on finishing up work in classrooms first to get school ready.

"There was almost no doubt in my mind that we were going to make it because I've been doing this for 35 years," Prokop said triumphantly, despite the uncertainty of school opening until late last week. "We did come through. It's not where we wanted it to be ... but we are still in the building."

The alternative if Algonquin wasn't ready to take students today was moving them to the Prairie Lakes Community Center on Thacker Street.

"It was a remarkable effort on all parties ... all of our employees groups have pitched in and worked together," District 62 Superintendent Jane Westerhold said.

Work will continue in the building mostly after school. There will still be workers present during school hours, but not in the classrooms, she said.

Students did feel some of the burden of the construction delay Monday.

With not enough lockers to go around, none were assigned, so students had to lug backpacks full of books from classroom to classroom.

"That might continue through this first week," said Mindy Ward, District 62 director of community relations. "They are waiting for additional lockers to be delivered before they assign lockers."

Ward said officials were focused on getting classrooms ready first.

"While it might be inconvenient for the students, it will not be ongoing," Ward said. "Right now we're uncertain as to how long, but as soon as they have that problem solved, the students will be able to utilize lockers. But until that time, they will be carrying their backpacks."

The improved Algonquin school has a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, but the air conditioning was not operational Monday. Other improvements to the building include motion sensors that have been installed in classrooms, bathrooms and other areas of the school to save energy.

"If there's no activity in the room for 30 minutes, lights will automatically go off," Prokop said.

Though the school's kitchen is out of commission, food will be delivered to students from an off-site location, Westerhold said.

"The students will eat in their regular cafeteria as they always have," until the new addition is finished with an expanded cafeteria, Westerhold said.

Officials said Algonquin's library won't be ready for use for another week. Its shelves and a new circulation desk have not yet been set up since the library was refurbished.

Band and orchestra classes, which will be taught next door at Trinity Lutheran Church, also begin next week. They will remain there until those classrooms, originally located on the second floor of the school, are rebuilt as part of the renovation.

The school's parking lots won't be ready for use for quite some time. Meanwhile, staff members and visitors will have to use Trinity Church's parking lot.