Unit 40 Board Moves Ahead w/EHS Entrance Project

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education Tuesday voted to award a contract for construction of a secure entrance to Effingham High School.

Grunloh Construction of Effingham will be the general contractor on the work, which will cost just over $100,000.  Unit 40 Superintendent Mark Doan said with windows and doors, architectural fees, project management and security equipment, the total project will cost $185,500.  The project will include a canopy to compliment the one in place in front of the cafetorium.

Doan said the goal is regulating access to the high school building during the school day.  He noted that the building was constructed just prior to many of the school shootings seen across the nation.

The entrance will lead to the south side of the high school office.  Doan hopes the project will be completed by the start of the school year.  He said it's designed to "deal with an issue we wish we didn't have to address."

Also Tuesday, the school board accepted the resignation of Angela Woods as high school girls tennis coach, and approved a Family and Medical Leave Act leave for maintenance man Rick Schmidt.

The Board also approved Carol Ruffner as the school board's representative on the Eastern Illinois Area Special Education Board, approved a resolution on a farm subsidy with Jerry Hoffman for ground he farms for the school district west of the high school complex, and amended a flexible spending account agreement.