As many are now aware, many changes will happen in the district this year. Each building will undergo a series of updates to improve the safety of the students, staff, and community members. As Superintendent Mr. Starkey is leaving office, it was only right to interview with the 2024-2025 Superintendent, Dr. Shannon Henson. Dr. Henson has been in the district for many years, creating a clear idea of what must be improved overall.
On May 7, 2024, I sat down with Dr. Henson to get every detail I could to share with you. To start, I brought up the fact that the elementary school has been talked about quite a bit. Dr. Henson backed this and gave me a full list of all upgrades that the school will be getting this summer, and where they are coming from. To start, the money that is making this possible is coming from an Esser Fund, which is an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. The Fredericktown R-1 District has been given a limit of 4 million dollars, which all must be used by September 30th of this year.
Now, let’s go into detail of the construction work being conducted. The first and main improvement is the HVAC system. For numerous past years, the school has run on window AC units and boiler heaters during the winter. The first project that has already started is removing all boilers and window units and installing a full HVAC system in all buildings—yes, even the gym is hoping for updates in a later year. Speaking to many teachers, they are very ecstatic to look forward to future AC in the gymnasium when it is approved as it gets very hot during fall and spring events. Each of the four elementary facilities will also be receiving new lighting. Many classrooms do not have great lighting, and this will help improve the classroom environment and security. One already completed update that was mentioned during our interview is adding a brand-new privacy fence on the playground. There have been instances in the recent past that have pushed this project to move forward. While the students forgot about it in a day or two, it helps the teachers feel more secure when the students are close to the fence.
The final improvement will not only be on the elementary, but every school in the district. A major concern has been the single door system, where anyone can simply walk with no further security. As the new middle school was being built after the 2010 fire, they added two sets of doors at the main entrance. This is amazing for security because the second set of doors remain locked at all times, not allowing anyone through. This requires all visitors to check in through the speaker system connected to the office, and the office workers are the only ones that are able to let visitors into the office, but still not into the school. While the middle school already has this system, it will now be added to every building this summer for further security.
These major updates will take a good amount of the funds, but I would like to mention an update coming to the preschool. If you are active on TikTok, you may have seen so-called “Safety Rooms” added inside normal classrooms. A safety room is a bulletproof structure that can be stored flush with the wall, but when needed it can be pulled out in less than thirty seconds, creating a safe and blocked structure. With the current way our preschool is set up, they do not have anywhere to go in the instance of an intruder. With the added safety room, the youngest students and our staff will have a safe place to return to in the case of emergency.
The last update that I can confirm that uses some part from the Esser funds is the reconstruction of the high school bathrooms. The high school is currently battling a high rate of vaping. With these students vaping in only six totally available stalls, and is hard for those that need to go, to go. With the reconstruction of the bathrooms, the high school hopes to eliminate or lower the issue of vaping and provide better restrooms for those using them. While I do not know where the funds are coming from, I can confirm that the high school library will be receiving improvements as well. Mrs. Laut is hoping to remove the carpet, offer better seating, and give more reading options. The agriculture department will also be receiving updates. The Fredericktown Foundation is sponsoring the renovation of the greenhouse, as it has been a major and fundamental success among students.
As you can tell, there will be many amazing improvements happening to the district this summer. However, I’m sure some of you are still asking the question I once did, “Why not build a new elementary school instead of putting all this money and work into it?” Here’s why. Dr. Henson has an earthquake and other structural test done on the building, and it is completely sound. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the structure of the building; it’s just outdated. Yes, there have been talks about creating a new building closer to the other schools, possibly on the other side of the intermediate, but it is currently not possible with the available budget. So, what they will do instead is continue to update the building, making it more modern, but keeping the history that they can. They do hope to one day build a new building, but it will not be in Dr. Henson’s time, and maybe not soon after either.
We as students, parents, and the school community are excited to receive all of these improvements, and we are grateful. The school board and administrators are trying their best to improve the district, but it takes time and money. These current projects are a major step in that direction, and if the future projects take some time, I can’t wait to see what comes from them!
