$556,610 Window and Heating Makeover at Pinckneyville Jr. High
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ The Pinckneyville District 50 Board of Education is in the process of selling life, health and safety bonds that will allow the district to replace windows at the district's signature junior high building, upgrade heating in the gymnasium and rebuild a portion of the plumbing systems at both the junior high and the elementary school. The valueof the work is $556,610.
Superintendent Tim O'Leary explained that the work at the 1970 junior high and the 1957 elementary school should bring to an end a multi-year program to fully maintain the buildings.
"We did both roofs a couple of years ago," O'Leary said. The focus now is on energy and water conservation and maintaining these two properties.
He said bathrooms in the buildings have an antiquated water drip system to flush toilet systems. It is being replaced by a more water-conscious system.
With respect to academics, O'Leary said the focus this year is on making sure that reading score progress stays at acceptable levels to state reviewers. He said the district is meeting state requirements, but the state is mandating another 7 percent improvement by next year and those goals will be met. "We want to stay ahead of the curve," he said.
The district is in the first year of a four-year contract covering the 67 staff members who care for the 570 students in the district, so that will not be an issue over the summer months.