Dist. 103 moving forward with two improvement projects

Lincolnshire-Prairie View Elementary District 103 officials are moving ahead with a pair of improvement projects for two school campuses.

One effort will create four science labs and upgrade four bathrooms at Wright Junior High School.

The other project will add individual heating and air-conditioning units to rooms at Half Day School. The units would replace existing machines that only heat the rooms.

Installing air conditioning in this way is financially and structurally reasonable, Superintendent Larry Fleming said. A central air-conditioning system isn't feasible, he said.

“Central air is not only extremely costly in that building, but literally we don't have the piping in that building to accommodate that,” he said. “It would have added over $1 million to that project.”

Additionally, the second project tentatively calls for upgrades to 10 classrooms at Half Day School. That work would only move forward if projected costs for both concepts come in “significantly below” the current estimate, according to a District 103 news release.

In its meeting Monday, the school board unanimously decided to seek construction bids for the two projects.

The improvements at Wright Junior High could cost about $1.8 million, according to district estimates.

As for the second project, the air-conditioning work could cost $800,000. The price tag for the proposed classroom improvements to include new carpeting, cabinets, lights and other upgrades was set at $215,000.

Officials hope to complete the work in summer 2011. They have not yet determined how to fund the efforts but will spend the next two months evaluating possibilities. Two options exist, Fleming said: Using existing savings to fully pay for the work, or using a combination of cash and a loan.

The board could decide on funding in February, Fleming said.

District leaders have been studying possible facility improvements at Wright, Half Day and Sprague School for months.

Officials still want to add air conditioning to Sprague School within the next two years.

Wright now has air conditioning.