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District 171 approves building and grounds improvements

BY JIM MASTERS

LANSING, Ill. (July 20, 2021) – When students return to Heritage Middle School and Nathan Hale Elementary for the start of the new school year, they’ll notice a variety of improvements to the buildings and grounds.

Sunnybrook School District 171 School Board approved new construction projects at its meeting Monday, adding to more than $700,000 in work it previously approved.

New flooring for the band room at Heritage is now on the way, as the board awarded a $28,810 bid to Kingston Tile Company of Romeoville, IL.

Nathan Hale students will notice a freshly painted gymnasium when they return. The board awarded Metropolitan Corp. of Matteson, IL a $22,480 bid to perform the work.

Over the summer, District 171 has been repaving the parking lots at both Heritage and Nathan Hale, at a cost $655,269. The project become more expensive when the board approved a $35,957 change order for additional work at Nathan Hale.

Both lots have been prone to flooding and were quite uneven. Potholes and cracks have been patched and repaired many times over the past 17 years, but it came time to completely repair the lots, according to school officials.

The paving work is being funded out of state grant monies and existing cash on-hand. That’s also the case with the $46,314 allocated for newly band instrument lockers and music library cabinets at Heritage.

Other recent improvements include new restrooms at Heritage, as well as painting throughout the school and a new exterior sign.

The board also approved a food service contract for the upcoming school year with Just A Dash Catering of Highland, IN. Meal costs will increase 3.9%.

District 171 is headquartered at 19266 Burnham Avenue, Lansing, IL.

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Jim Masters
Jim Masters
Jim Masters grew up on 191st Street in Lansing. He attended Nathan Hale Elementary, was a member of St. Ann Church, graduated with the first graduating class at Heritage Middle School, and graduated from TF South High School in 1981. Inspired by his journalism teacher Joe Hyde, Jim earned a BA in Journalism from Northern Illinois University. He has more than 25 years of experience as beat reporter, specializing in government, politics, criminal justice, human interest stories, and education.