Pictured above is a rendering of the new 5,000 square foot multi-purpose room that will be constructed next to the current gym at the Climax-Scotts Elementary School.
(Photo courtesy of C-S Community Schools)
Improvements to be made
in C-S School District
By Bruce Rolfe
With June 7 being the final day of school for Climax-Scotts Community Schools students and staff, a $16.2 million bond project approved by C-S voters in May, 2023, was scheduled to begin June 10.
The bond project includes improvements and additions at the elementary school, improvements in the Jr./Sr. High School and on the high school campus, and athletic field improvements.
C-S Superintendent of Schools Doug Newington said the 2023 bond project addresses needs that were not part of the 2018 bond project approved by C-S voters.
The bond also addresses a growing student enrollment.
The first phase of improvements that started June 10 includes removing and replacing all old flooring in the Jr./Sr. High School hallways that contained asbestos, with new flooring. Floor and glue removal
and new floor installation will take approximately one month.
The science lab will be completely renovated into an area where two classrooms will be created and one lab will be shared. A new greenhouse will also be installed.
The open air courtyard area in the middle of the Jr./Sr. High School will be renovated and new flooring will be installed in the cafeteria.
The district hopes to have all indoor improvements at the Jr./Sr. High School completed by the start of the 2024-2025 school year.
One part of the bond project on the Jr./Sr. High School campus addresses student safety. There will be a lit sidewalk constructed starting at the north entrance to the building connecting to the sidewalk near Prairie Home Cemetery. The new sidewalk will continue all the way to the main Jr./High School building and end near the football concession stand.
The Robert Weessies Jr. baseball field will have big changes and improvements and the old Little League field north of the baseball field will be converted into the new softball field.
Both the home and away dugouts along with the press box at the baseball field will be removed. The base of the back stop will be moved in slightly to allow the new sidewalk to be constructed. A curved brick wall with netting will be constructed as a backstop.
The away dugout with a new press box constructed above it, will be constructed further down the first base line. The new home dugout will be constructed slightly further down the third base line.
Bleachers for fans will be installed near both dugouts.
There will also be a shape adjustment to the baseball field. Instead of a half circle shape in the outfield, right field will have more of a straight angle to center field and be moved in slightly to make room for the new softball field. The distances from home plate to the fence will remain similar to current distances.
The press box at the new softball field will be constructed on top of the third base dugout.
New batting cages and warm up pitching mounds will be constructed near both fields.
Softball games will continue to be played at the current location until 2026, allowing the grass at the new location to grow properly until it will be ready to be played on.
Newington said the district hopes to have home baseball games in 2025, but that will be determined if the new grass on the new infield that will be installed, is ready to be played on. The outfield grass will not be disturbed.
Once the new softball field is ready to use, the old softball field will be converted into a new irrigated practice football field.
Work on the baseball and softball fields in front of the Jr./Sr. High School will begin June 17.
New home and away bleacher seats will be installed at the football stadium.
Any windows that were not replaced in the 2018 bond at the elementary and Jr./Sr. High School will be replaced with new, higher energy efficient windows.
Improvements at the C-S Elementary School will begin July 7.
A new entrance will be created slightly north of the existing entrance, where a secure entry and exit area will be. An existing classroom will be converted into the new elementary school office. A teacher/staff work room will also be created near the area.
A 10,000 square foot addition will be added to the north end of the existing building for six new classrooms. Newington said the addition addresses an enrollment jump that has occurred at the elementary level and throughout the district the last few years and continues today. The new addition also addresses the need for a day care area, which opens more enrollment opportunities for the district. “We lose so many kids to other schools because there is no day care in the area. Once you get started in a new school, you stay there. We wanted to keep our own kids here,” explained Newington, who said the day care area will likely be used as a three and four-year-old classroom.
The C-S superintendent said the district projects an enrollment of 578, up from the blended enrollment count of 543 the district built the 2023-2024 budget around. The district’s 2022-2023 budget was developed on a blended enrollment count of 529.
A new separate parking lot will also be constructed at the north end of the new addition where a new entrance to the day care area will be located.
A new 5,000 square foot multipurpose building and gym will be constructed next to the current gym.
There will also be a new over hang near the entrance of the school.
Indoor improvements at the elementary school will take place in the summer of 2025, however the new additions will begin in July. The new elementary entrance will not be completed until the summer of 2025.
All improvements at the elementary school are scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2025-2026 school year.
The approved 2023 bond also allowed the district to purchase two new vans.
The district will also have a new website featuring online registration for new and returning students and a new mobile app with new items that will benefit students and parents.
Pictured above is an architecture drawing from TMP Architecture, Inc. of the new baseball field and softball field layouts in front of C-S Jr./Sr. High School.
(Photo courtesy of C-S Community Schools)
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