Officials celebrate Round Lake High expansion
Round Lake Area School District 116 officials and community leaders didn't let torrential rains keep them from celebrating the start of a $29 million expansion and renovation at Round Lake High on Monday.
Someone even remarked that rain is a good omen for a groundbreaking.
Still, lightning kept the crowd indoors for a little while.
About 50 people attended the ceremony at the high school. Families, area mayors, a few state lawmakers and other dignitaries listened as District 116 Superintendent Constance Collins and other administrators talk about the project, which kicks off this month.
"We cannot do this work without all of you," Collins told the crowd.
The expansion will increase maximum capacity to nearly 2,300 students.
About 2,100 students were enrolled during the 2014-15 term, even though it was built for 1,370.
The project calls for 29 additional classrooms, including four laboratories specifically destined for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Also planned are a new gymnasium, new student common areas and upgrades to technology and security systems.
"These changes will greatly improve the teaching and learning process within the school," Collins said.
Voters approved funding for the project in November.
The work is being funded through loans and debt restructuring that will gradually increase homeowners' property tax bills about $3,600 over 17 years.
The construction work should be finished by August 2016.