South Central High School Project to Begin

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Published on June 12 2015 10:06 am
Last Updated on June 12 2015 10:06 am
Written by Greg Sapp

Years after it was first discussed, a project to renovate and expand South Central High School in Farina is ready to begin.

The South Central Board of Education this week awarded bids for the various aspects of the project.

The work will involve construction of a cafeteria, a band and chorus room, and six regular classrooms. The building has never had a cafeteria.

South Central Superintendent Rick Batchelor said, once the additional rooms are completed, the work will switch to tearing down a 1974 renovation project that has deteriorated. The 1974 area will then be replaced with a single-story facility including an Art room, library and computer lab.

Batchelor said the high school project will begin while an expansion of the grade school building in Kinmundy is already underway. That project includes a gym, which is a first for that building, and eight classrooms. 

Batchelor, who is retiring at the end of the month, said the gym walls at the grade school building are going up. 

Batchelor admits to mixed feelings about retiring while the construction projects are underway, saying at least he knows he got them started. He's disappointed that the State dragged its feet about getting the project funded, years after giving the project its approval.

Batchelor is concluding six years at South Central, following 11 years in Flora, eight years before that in North Clay, and beginning his career in Galatia in southern Illinois.