February 20, 2020
Proposition Eagle has construction soaring for East Prairie schools
EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. - A building boom is underway for the East Prairie R-2 School District. Superintendent Lesli Jones describes the construction as not only an investment for the 1,100 students currently attending school at East Prairie but for the future...
By Jill Bock/Standard Democrat
EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. - A building boom is underway for the East Prairie R-2 School District.
Superintendent Lesli Jones describes the construction as not only an investment for the 1,100 students currently attending school at East Prairie but for the future.
Last April the district asked voters to approve a $7.5 million bond issue, dubbed Proposition Eagle, for the demolition of old abandoned buildings, the construction of new classrooms and upgrades throughout the district. According to Jones, it was the first time in more than 25 years the school district had gone to voters with a bond proposal.
“No one was really excited about their taxes being raised but I think overall our community agreed that we had waited a long time and had done everything we could do with what money we had so it was time to do some new construction,” she said.
The bond issue passed and because the bonds sold at a premium, the district received nearly $8.3 million to fund improvements.
Work began with the demolition of the A.L. Webb building. The building, which dated back to 1928, served as a high school, middle school and even housed some elementary classrooms before being turned into a school museum. Because of deterioration, the building was abandoned.
Jones admitted it wasn’t an easy decision to take the landmark down.
“The people who had attended that school felt a big emotional connection,” she said. “Just seeing something that has been there so long being torn down is difficult. But even with that difficulty, people were not extremely vocal or negative. I think everyone here wants what is best for our students and our staff. They see the benefit of having good facilities to educate kids.”
The demolition made way for the first phase of construction - the creation of a middle school campus housing students in fifth through eighth grades.
__Middle school construction__
Although recent rains have slowed crews, the outline is beginning to take shape of the addition which will include 12 new classrooms, library, art room, music room and office space.
A facilities committee and the administrative team worked with St. Louis architectural firm, Chiodini, to tie the current seventh and eighth grade facilities into the new construction.
“One of the biggest things was just having someone who could look at our current campus and help us make it look like it all goes together,” Jones said.
The architects have designed a new gray building to be tied into the current facilities with a stone facade. The interior features bright colors and design accents.
The 21,000-square-foot addition is set for completion by the end of July with classes at the expanded campus beginning with the 2020-21 school year.
But even better news, Jones said, is that the bid for the first phase came in under budget. School officials and the architects quickly began plans for phase two.
__Elementary campus work begins__
Bids will be open Feb. 21 for the creation of a campus for youngsters in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade at the Martin Elementary site.
Jones said this will solve several problems the district has faced.
“A big issue with (the Doyle) campus specifically is safety and security. It is a very, very open campus and for our youngest students that is a big concern, especially with the location next to a busy intersection,” Jones said.
She pointed out the trailers used for classrooms at Doyle Elementary originally were intended for use for five to eight years. They are now about 15 years old.
“They are in terrible shape,” Jones added.
Phase two calls for a 13,000-square-foot addition at the Martin campus. It will include 10 classrooms, office space and a commons area that will double as a cafeteria.
Also the architects have worked with school officials to redesign the traffic flow at the Martin building. Jones said this should ease congestion in the neighborhood before and after school.
Construction should get underway by mid-March. According to the superintendent, the district expects completing construction by the end of November and moving into the completed facility during the Christmas holiday. Classes for the elementary students will begin in January 2021 on the Martin campus.
“With these projects we are going to now have three campuses instead of four, so just the cost savings in general will be a lot better,” Jones said. “Everything that we will have will be much more energy efficient and cost efficient.”
Jones noted another cost savings to the district.
Last May, the architects called to tell her another client was planning to renovate a building in St. Louis. The client didn’t want any of the furnishings and the architects asked if the school district was interested. Jones was.
“It was two or three levels full of office furniture. We walked through the building and she had a package of Post-it Notes and she was going to put a Post-it on everything I said yes to. Well, we ran out of Post-its because I was literally just saying yes to everything,” she said with a smile.
“Even if we can’t use it in one of those buildings I could use it in another building because I have lots of teachers and staff members who have hand-me down desks from someone who got it from someone else. We are getting some really nice things … and we are getting all of that for free.”
__High school improvements__
Jones is quick to point out the district hasn’t just focused on the younger students.
Improvements, although not as dramatic, are ongoing at the high school.
Three new 20-ton heating and cooling units are now in place on the high school campus. Also new key-card entrances for enhanced security are installed at all the school buildings. More efficient LED lighting is in place at the high school, middle school and Martin Elementary.
The high school’s agriculture program is expanding with a new metal building going up on the campus. The building, which should be completed this spring, is funded through a grant from the USDA Rural Development.
“That is going to allow us to expand our ag education department with some veterinary science education,” Jones said. “Also we got some 50-50 grants through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for welding simulators so we are doing some other things for career and technology education as well.”
__Wearing the construction hat__
Jones acknowledged in her three years as superintendent much of her job has involved working to improve the facilities.
“I attended school here in all of these buildings — in the old Webb building, I was at Doyle, I was in the Martin building and even the old part of the Martin building that was torn down in the ’90s. I’ve seen the need for the new construction for a long time,” she said. “I’m thrilled to wear the construction hat. It has been a lot to learn but I’ve enjoyed the process.”
She also praised East Prairie residents for their support for the school district.
“For the most part everyone is really excited about what this means for our school district and for our students and especially our community,” Jones concluded. “We have a huge amount of community pride in this town.”
Advertisement
Advertisement