Thinking BIG for Education
Despite facing significant obstacles, including a flood-prone location and limitations on modifying existing structures, the district persevered, eventually resulting in a groundbreaking new building addition that redefined the school’s entrance and functionality.
From 2018 to 2023, the district embarked on a series of transformative renovations aimed at enhancing learning environments at North Technical High School. These projects ranged from upgrading security and administrative areas to creating new, state-of-the-art spaces for their cosmetology and dental sciences programs, as well as modernizing the welding shop. The renovations were designed to cater to the unique needs of students and staff, creating inspiring spaces that foster education and career development.
Through the BOLD Facilities Plan, Decatur Public Schools is working to ensure student-focused learning environments with spaces that expand learning beyond traditional expectations to further engage students. To help accomplish this goal, a reimagined, new facility replaced an outdated structure which was located on the highest elevation point in Decatur, Johns Hill.
Mattoon school district's LIFT (Leaders Innovating for Tomorrow) houses a regional innovation center for the surrounding 28 school districts in the area.
With an already thriving program, the planning of this facility and its location needed to be tightly knit into other district programs, such as athletics and general education. A key consideration was also the ability to expand program offerings in the future, through enlarged facilities and features which could include on-site gardens, crops or additional livestock support.
Through renovations and an addition to a 1950s-era building on a tight city footprint, an engaging, innovative and inviting high school, focused on providing modern facilities to support digital learning, academic achievement and fine arts and athletic excellence was developed. While the student population was highly achieving, the existing school did not reflect the student merit.
The Community Engagement Planning Process with Meridian CUSD #15 resulted in a clear direction, to reduce the number of campuses from four to two and concentrate resources to make these remaining two campuses healthy, safe, and educationally relevant.
Cerro Gordo CUSD #100 was facing outdated facilities, overcrowding, and needed some serious security updates. To solve these problems, this district was renovated to include a connecting addition to the original 1929 three-story HS building and the 1963 cafeteria/gymnasium building.