Facilities Challenges

Our district’s outdated school buildings pose a significant risk to the safety and well-being of our students. The lack of secure vestibules, coupled with outdated entrances that are not ADA accessible, creates vulnerabilities that need to be addressed urgently. Additionally, our aging bathrooms, gym, and locker rooms at Albright Middle School and the lack of space at Salt Creek Primary are in need of modernization to ensure a safe, healthy, and engaging learning environment. Investing in these priorities will improve the safety and accessibility of our schools.

District 48's long-range Master Facilities and Health and Life Safety Plan provides a roadmap for identifying and addressing infrastructure needs at all buildings. Thoughtful planning helps us identify essential projects and perform preventative maintenance.

The proposed solution includes important safety measures and the update of all bathrooms across the district to ensure they are functioning properly and ADA Compliant. In addition to updating the look of these buildings, these enhancements would provide greater energy efficiency, improved functionality, and support safety and security.

Accessibility Challenges

Split stairways and entry into our student bathrooms need to be updated to make it less challenging for our students, staff, and visitors with mobility issues. Currently, some of the handicapped parking is far from the main entrance, which makes accessibility even more challenging. Once visitors or students in wheelchairs enter the building, they are immediately faced with staircases, which they must currently use a wheelchair lift to use. Once they reach the floor they want to access; they may have difficulty fully accessing the bathrooms during their stay, as the current restrooms may be challenging to enter because of the heavy doors or the tight corners.

Toilet Rooms

The toilet rooms across the district need to be updated, as most of them are original to when the buildings were constructed. These updates will not only improve the look and accessibility of these rooms but allow for the installation of more cost effective and energy-saving fixture.

Nurse's Offices

The Nurse's Offices in all three buildings are in need of renovation. They are outdated and undersized. Additional space is needed to accommodate students who are not feeling well or require medication on a regular basis. Relocation of the health offices so they are adjacent to the main offices and secure entrances will provide students with additional privacy and limit visitor access into the main building if students need to be picked up or parents need to deliver medication.

Albright Gym and Locker Room

The Albright Middle School gym, built in 1959, is outdated and no longer meets the needs of today’s students. The locker rooms, also original to the building, are cramped and lack essentials including adequate toilet stalls and privacy areas. The gym is unsafe, with sidelines dangerously close to the wall and insufficient bleacher seating, requiring spectators to sit on the stage. These outdated facilities not only compromise student safety but also hinder the overall learning experience. To address these critical issues the gym and locker rooms will be replaced. Creating a modern, safe, and functional space that supports the needs of our students will also reduce the maintence and repair costs associated with a 65-year old facility. Adding a hallway restroom will alleviate congestion during the school day and limit access to the building during after-hours activities.

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