District to seek bids for Round Lake High expansion
Round Lake Area Unit District 116 soon will be seeking contractors with the best prices for a high school expansion and renovation.
The school board Monday night voted 6-0 in favor of releasing documents to seek bids from qualified companies to handle the construction. Officials plan to award all contracts by mid-May.
Voters last November approved a $29 million financing plan for the Round Lake High School work. Construction is to start in June and finish in August 2016.
Round Lake High was built for 1,370 students, but it now houses about 2,100 teenagers, according to school figures. The expansion will bring the maximum capacity to 2,288 students.
Under the proposal, the school will have 29 new classrooms, including four laboratories. Also planned are a new full-sized gymnasium to meet state physical education requirements, new student commons areas, improved building flow and upgraded technology and security.
Other highlights include an improved drop-off area for students and better separation of bus, pedestrian and car traffic.
District Superintendent Constance Collins said there will be much for the students and community to look forward to with the revamped high school.
“It really makes all of us excited about the possibilities for our students,” Collins said. “Just to be able to walk in and have some opportunities that they have not had for a number of years. We're excited. We're looking forward to it. We can't wait until the school opens anew in 2016 for our students here at Round Lake High School.”
Round Lake High's renovation will come at a cost to property owners. District 116 will borrow $29 million and restructure existing debt. Officials said they will stabilize the tax rate for 16 years and extend debt by five years at a total cost of about $3,600 more for an owner of a $100,000 house than if the current repayment schedule remained in place.
Officials said the high school's 12 portable classrooms will be removed for the 2016-17 academic year. District 116 owns the trailers and will keep them for the possibility they will be needed at another school.