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Beecher Elementary SCHOOL is under masonry construction outside its second story classrooms. Completion of the entire project is expected by September 4.
Improvements at Beecher Schools  Share
Although Beecher Elementary School is over 100 years old, it is still standing tall and housing the district's kindergarten through fifth grades. This summer brought on a whirl of activities outside this historic building. First, the mobile units, which were south of the building, were demolished shortly after students finished school last June. The trailers were used for a music class until the new junior high building was completed, but for the past two years, they were utilized only for storage. Evidence of inappropriate activities had been found in and outside of the trailers. As a result, the School Board discussed their removal and agreed that they were an eyesore, in addition to being a place for youths to hang out, hidden from adult onlookers. The plan to demolish the units was formed and executed as soon as students were no longer in attendance. With the demolition of the mobile units, extra space is available in the recess area. Beecher PTA donated the funds to purchase playground equipment, which will be installed upon delivery. The basketball net and backboard will also be replaced. Another repair to BES was the result of water leaking into the second story classrooms, which are used by fourth grade students. When Beecher experienced heavy rains and winds, water would seep in around the windows. After investigation, the necessary masonry repair was determined.
The west and north sides are under construction with a scheduled finish date for August 21 so that the bus entrance for returning students will be accessible. Although a contingency plan for children to enter school will be put in place if the work is not completed, George Obradovich, Beecher District Superintendent, reported that the job appears to be ahead of schedule and the weather is cooperating. Once tuckpointing is done on the west and north walls, work will continue on the east side, where students will not be affected by the construction activities. Beecher High School also saw a change outside its building. Bright yellow arrows indicate that the flow of drive traffic west of the building is reversed to run north instead of south, with vehicle entrance on Hodges Street. According to an August 3 letter to BHS parents and students, ''parents driving their children to school should use the student lot just west of the drive to drop off their child.'' KACC students will again be parking at the south end of the drive. Beecher Schools may not have been in full session over the summer, yet several construction projects have continued to keep the grounds active, June through August. Terry Gatlin is a reporter for Russell Publications.
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