District 430 to replace portable classrooms at Sandwich High School

SANDWICH – The seven portable classroom units at the east end of Sandwich High School will be replaced this summer after action taken by the Board of Education of Sandwich School District 430. The present units, which house nine classrooms, will be replaced by by two portable classroom units that have 16 classrooms.

Superintendent of Schools Rick Schmitt said St. Charles School District 303 no longer needed the units and offered them to the district at a cost of $1.

Each unit from St. Charles is equipped with eight classrooms, drinking fountains, rooms for conferencing, boys/girls/faculty washrooms, storage and classroom furniture. He said that in the future, fencing will be added to enhance safety.

After examining the current units at Sandwich High School and their estimated maintenance costs, then comparing them with the St. Charles units, the board determined that those from St. Charles are in much better shape and newer. The St. Charles units also allow for safety and academic department enhancements and are cost efficient, as well, Schmitt said.

Schmitt said, “While enrollment is down, our curriculum programming and services continue to be implemented. In the end, the board prefers the newer units instead of spending an estimated $190,000 in repairs on the current structures that are close to 30 years old.”

The two larger, portable units from St. Charles will be placed in the same location as the present seven smaller, portable buildings. They are expected to cover a similar area.

According to maintenance director Dan Ford, the estimated maintenance and repair work on the Sandwich units does not include unknown internal repairs and/or repairs underneath the units.

Ford said that the approved bid of $178,675 to Satellite Shelters Inc. of Channahon includes the relocation of the two portable units from St. Charles to Sandwich, as well as the removal of the seven units on-site at Sandwich High School.

In other matters, the board approved retirements of Terri Clemmons, the Lynn G. Haskin Elementary School’s gifted-program instructor; Joanna Sondgeroth, a paraprofessional; and Marta Dunn, a bilingual instructor. Also approved was the resignation of Heather Eberle of the transportation department and the leave of absence of Vivian Steinhardt, a paraprofessional, under the Family Medical Leave Act.

Employed were Ian Schielein, science instructor at Sandwich High School; Pam Hernandez, special education instructor at Sandwich Middle School; Derek Jones, special education instructor at H.E. Dummer Elementary School and high school head wrestling coach; and Holly Martin, Prairie View School head secretary.