SITE WORK UNDER WAY FOR JACKSON SCHOOL

JACKSON -- Site preparation is under way for the new Jackson Middle School at the intersection of West Independence (Route D) and Broad Ridge.

The site work should be completed by the end of August.

Howard Hemmann, project engineer for Penzel Construction Company of Jackson, said the work began about two weeks ago. "We cleared the site and started moving earth about two days ago," said Hemmann.

"We'll be cutting down some hills and filling in low spots to bring it up to grade level."

Penzel's bid of $192,000 was the lowest of seven bids that were received for the site work, well under the architects's estimate of $205,900.

Hemmann said the site work includes bringing the property to grade for the $5.4 million building and construction of a water retention basin at the southeast edge of the property. In addition, about 500 feet of drain tile must be laid before construction of the building and access roads for school buses and private vehicles can begin.

On Thursday, school Superintendent Wayne Maupin, school board President Darrell Hanschen, and Gene Penzel, president of Penzel Construction Co., stopped by to view and discuss the work going on.

Maupin expressed surprise at the amount of work that has been done during the week he was on vacation.

"The site does not look anything like it did before I left," he remarked. Maupin noted the start of the site work was delayed while the district waited for the necessary environmental permits from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Maupin said he met Thursday morning with the project's arch~itects to discuss the time schedule for advertising for bids for the construction of the middle school this fall.

"The architects feel everything is coming along nicely. They feel the building construction will be ready to advertise for bids in late September. With a 30-day waiting period, that means the bids could be opened sometime in late October," said Maupin.

"As soon as the contract is signed, the work will begin and continue through the winter, as the weather permits. It should take about one year to complete the building. If everything moves along on schedule, we're looking at moving into the building perhaps as early as the (1994) Thanksgiving holiday break, or the Christmas-New Year holiday break.

"Actually, it will come at the right time, because we will have a lot of helpers. The students will be able to help us pick up and move over to the new building. I understand that was done in the district some years back, and it worked quite well."

Although construction of the building won't begin until this fall, Hanschen said has heard nothing but positive comments from nearby property owners. "They all feel it will make this area of town look even better, and of course, the school is bound to improve property values in the area," he observed.

The new Middle School will relieve severe crowding in the nearby R.O. Hawkins Junior High School and a growing increase in students at West Lane Elementary School. The sixth-grade class will be moved from the West Lane and the seventh-grade classes will move over from the R.O. Hawkins Junior High School.

With an enrollment of 900 sixth, seventh and eighth grade students, Hawkins is already suffering from severe crowding. The school was designed to handle a maximum of 500 students. Maupin said projections of growth in the district indicate a steady increase in student population at West Lane that will demand more classroom space.

The middle school will be built on a 26-acre site the district purchased for $1,200 an acre from the Southeast Missouri Medical Group.

When completed, the school will accommodate 700-750 students. The 81,635-square-foot building will contain 24 classrooms, plus two science labs, a library, kitchen and cafeteria, industrial arts room, general music room, band room, vocal music room and gym with shower and locker facilities for boys and girls.

The building is designed with the classrooms on the west side, in a horseshoe-shaped configuration that overlooks an inner courtyard. The band and music rooms will be located at the east end of the building complex, away from the classrooms.

Construction of the middle school will be financed with the proceeds of a $4.7 million bond issue that was approved last spring by a 76 percent majority. It was one of the few bond issues in the region that was approved this spring.

No increase in the school tax levy is needed to retire the bonds because the district did not allow its bonded indebtedness to drop to zero.

Proceeds from the bond issue will be matched with $400,000 the district has already allocated in the 1992-93 budget for the new building, plus another $100,000 that will be earmarked for the new school in the 1993-94 budget. Another $200,000 will come from interest generated on the $4.7 million bond proceed.

If bids for the new school building come in lower than expected, there are a number of alternatives that can be added to the project, including four additional classrooms, a paved bus entrance and turnaround and bleachers in the gym.