With enrollment rising, District 95 may add modular classrooms to Thomas and Lewis schools

The Carbondale District 95 Board is calling a special meeting to approve bids for installing utilities at two temporary modular classrooms being added to accommodate expected enrollment increases.

The special meeting will begin at 5 p.m. June 14 at the CES Administrative Center, located at 925 S. Giant City Rd.

To address expected increases in student enrollment, the board voted last Thursday to lease temporary modular classroom units to add to the south side of Thomas Elementary School and on the northeast side of Lewis Elementary School. District officials are expecting an increase in enrollment when both schools reconvene in August: Thomas from its end-of-year enrollment of 330 to 336, and Lewis from 298 to 319.

"The increase of total enrollment has been going up five of the last six years," assistant superintendent Justin Miller said. "This is an ongoing issue that we have looked at for several years. There's not one thing or one item that has caused this to happen."

These temporary modular units will allow the district to decrease its current classroom size and not interrupt the set-up of classroom and staff in the district's buildings, officials said.

"What we're doing is creating more classroom space so we're not all bunched up in the buildings," Miller said.

The district's incoming superintendent, Daniel Booth, said these steps are key in helping the district keep class sizes low to support and strengthen student achievement.

"This is a temporary fix to enrollment growing in the district," Booth said.

The utility work - installing sewer, water and electricity - is expected to cost in excess of $25,000, Miller said. The district plans to lease the two modular units, each with two classrooms, at an estimated, but unconfirmed cost of about $1,000 each per month, Miller said.

Miller said the modular units are part of a two-year plan. At Thursday's meeting, he noted that the district would need to have talks about building more permanent classroom space.       

Before the vote, board members discussed finding creative ways to claim classroom space in the district, such as at the Administrative Center; increasing class size; and keeping students housed with their peers.