Lincolnview proceeding with addition plans

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

After delay of more than two years, the Lincolnview Board of Education is ready to move ahead with plans to add elementary classrooms and improve school security.

During a special meeting held Tuesday night, the board unanimously approved a resolution to move forward with an elementary classroom wing addition, kindergarten renovation, elementary entrance/elementary administrative office renovation elementary library wing addition and more.

The board was ready to vote on a similar project in early 2020 but plans were brought to a halt due to uncertainty caused by the early stages of COVID-19.

Since then, the board and administration looked at the original plans, which called for three more classrooms and new space for special needs students, and discussed possible additional needs.

“Three additional areas we’re going to add to the project – we’re going to renovate the cafeteria with new flooring, new lighting and speaker systems and more enhancements to allow more meetings to be held in there,” Superintendent Jeff Snyder said. “We’re going to take the current library and move it to the elementary courtyard and build a new library with additional space for growth. The old library will become the kindergarten classroom.”

The cost of the total project is expected to come in at just over $5 million and according to the resolution the project will be covered by existing funds, without the use of borrowed money.

Snyder said the board will need to see and discuss updated architectural plans, which could take some time, then a calendar will be formed to outline the process, including when to seek bids.

“We’re looking at probably late summer or early fall to get the bids in,” Snyder said. “Hopefully it’ll come in under budget or to budget and then we can award the contracts. Our ultimate goal would be to have it ready for the opening of the 2023-2024 school year, but we do recognize that today’s ability to get materials could have a direct result of not opening at the start of that school year.”

“Regarding the new special education suite area and the new library, we’ll have to work on that because we don’t need those to start the school year,” Snyder added. “The biggest thing is we want to get down with that front entrance and the office area next summer. The other things can continue to be built and we can move in during the school year.”

The board also approved a contract with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP to provide construction counsel services.

In other business, board members held a lengthy discussion about changes to the 2022-2023 elementary and junior high/high school student handbooks, but tabled a vote until later this month.

The next meeting of the Lincolnview Local Schools Board of Education will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 30, in the Neubrecht Lecture Hall.