Featured News
Urbana School District Completing a Successful Summer Work Season
Buildings Receive Cleaning and Facelift
Summer is the busy season for Urbana School District #116 building maintenance workers and contractors. With students out of school summer is the time to do some much needed cleaning, repair, and remodeling work on District #116 buildings. This summer has been no different, and as the new school year begins, students, parents, and staff will notice many improvements.
Director of Facilities Services Ota Dossett says Martin Luther King Elementary School received extensive work which included a renovated east wing, asbestos tile removal, new library, new sinks, carpeting, and floor tile. Dossett adds, “The gym lights were replaced and all lighting fixtures are energy saving. The exterior of the buildings received new landscaping and improved curb appeal. King also received playground equipment.” Prairie Elementary School also received similar improvements.
Workers upgraded the outside of Thomas Paine Elementary. “Thomas Paine School had new landscaping at the front entrance and circle drive, the entire entrance concrete was replaced and is handicap accessible, the entrance canopy and structure was repainted, air lock entry doors were installed to save energy, classroom lights in the southwest classrooms and gymnasium were replaced with energy saving lights. Restroom lighting will also be replaced later in the year. The kitchen had the asbestos flooring removed and all new flooring installed,” Dossett explains.
All schools received summer cleaning, and workers repaired, renovated, and “touched up” many parts of the buildings.
Dossett says there were 16 summer workers this year and he was impressed with their work ethic and skills. “Several of them are from Urbana High School and other schools. We had about 8 returning students that learned how to paint last summer and prior years. The new workers started out the summer by learning how to paint, move furniture, clean landscaping beds and a variety of other work. Now all the students are excellent painters and have done a wonderful job. It has been a great opportunity for them and has benefited the district tremendously. Coach Grey from UHS worked with us this summer as the supervisor and has done an outstanding job. The maintenance and grounds staffs also have worked at a rapid pace on many of these projects. Everyone worked cooperatively as a team. I am proud of the work that was done,” Dossett says.
So when you walk in to school this week, know that summer workers put in long and hard hours in getting the buildings ready for another year of learning.
Photo 1: Director of Facilities Services Ota Dossett gives a tour of Prairie Elementary School to the Board of Education.
Photo 2: Members of the Board of Education inspect the newly renovated Prairie Elementary Library.