Schools

Securing Greendale's Elementary Schools Could Top $1.5 Million

On Monday, administration outlined preliminary plans for improvements at all three schools.

The Greendale School District has begun exploring renovations at its three elementary schools that would make them more secure.

Neither College Park, Canterbury nor Highland View have secure entries, like the district’s middle and high schools do, which means very little stands in the way of visitors – wanted or not – and classrooms filled with students.

On Monday, administration outlined preliminary plans for improvements at all three schools. The estimated price tag is ranges between $1.4 and $1.6 million.

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“We’re really in the initial stages of this,” Superintendent John Tharp said.

Tharp said he, along with Director of Buildings and Grounds Brian Koffarnus, building principals and Greendale police officers walked through the buildings. He said the long-range goal is to have all visitors coming through secured entrances and funneled through the school office.

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Changes at Canterbury could involve moving the current office to a classroom across the corridor to the south, and remodeling the current office space into classroom space.

Tharp said the district will upgrade the doors at that school over the summer in time for the 2013-14 school year.

The district is also revisiting a plan first researched in 2009 that would involve a new building addition on the north side of College Park. It would house the new school office area and the secure entry vestibule and lobby.

The existing school office would be turned into educational space.

Two ideas are being investigated at Highland View. One would utilize and upgrade the existing office location. The second involves relocating the current office to the basement.

School Board member Anne Szcygiel urged administration to get input from all stakeholders should the upgrade plans move forward.


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