State of buildings among focuses of Sikeston R-6 $32.3 million bond issue

**Pictured is the artist's rendering of the proposed new one-story 81,706 square-foot 600-student First and Second Grade Center south of the existing Southeast Elementary. To allow for better traffic flow, the proposal includes separate car and bus rider pick-up areas. Other elements include a main entrance with security checkpoints, limited access points, kitchen, cafeteria, music room, art room, library/media room and gymnasium/safe room that can withstand an F5 tornado.

Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of articles regarding the Sikeston R-6 bond proposal. The first article addressed Lee Hunter and Matthews Elementary while Southeast Elementary and C Building at Sikeston High School are the focus of this article.

leonnah@standard-democrat.com

SIKESTON -- At first glance, Southeast Elementary looks like the ideal learning environment for children, principal Alecia Jordan said.

The colorful and inviting house-like sections -- or pods -- are indeed charming, but beyond the picket fences, visitors will find a leaky roof, inconsistent temperatures and a lack of space throughout the building, the principal noted.

According to Jordan, the inefficient heating and cooling system is one of the many structural issues at Southeast, which was built in 1968.

Southeast is comprised of three main pods, and at any given time, temperatures fluctuate 15 to 20 degrees between classrooms, she said.

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