FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 7, 2007

For more information contact:

Ed Hightower

618.656.1182

Board awards contract for Worden Elementary

At Tuesday night’s special Board of Education meeting, the board approved the awarding of a contract to Morrissey Construction, Inc., in the amount of $7.92 million to complete the addition and renovation for the new Worden Elementary building.

The addition to Worden will consist of 14 additional classrooms to the existing Worden Alternative School, a new multi-purpose room that will serve as both gymnasium and cafeteria, a food preparation kitchen, media center, and an administrative office.

The classroom portion will be a structural steel frame with an elevated concrete slab. The multi-purpose room will be framed with precast concrete walls. The new building will consist of 43,000 square feet and will be completed by the start of the 2008 school year.

This new Worden Elementary building will replace the existing Worden Elementary School. Beginning with the 2008 school year, the Alternative School students who currently attend grades 9 through 12 in Worden will attend the new, expanded EHS South, which is located across the street from the high school.

In other business, Superintendent Ed Hightower said that construction on the two elementary buildings is proceeding according to schedule. Site work and foundations have been completed at both school sites. Steel erection is scheduled to begin in a couple of weeks.

“This has been a very busy summer for construction throughout the school district. We’re pleased that all contractors and District 7 personnel have successfully completed all construction requirements on time. Classrooms will be ready for teachers to begin their preparation for students by Monday, August 13, 2007,” Hightower said.

Summer construction included the following renovations and life safety improvements:

§ Midway School: Renovations include asbestos abatement; replacement of floors, ceilings, and lights in classrooms and the main office; reconfiguration of the school entry and main office to improve the line of sight from the front door; construction of a new canopy at the front entry; and replacement of the gym floor

§ Columbus School: Renovations include asbestos abatement; replacement of floors, ceilings, and lights in classrooms; new windows, and upgrades to plumbing and electrical

§ Glen Carbon School: New driveway from Main Street to the student drop-off area; new teacher parking lot; Phase 1 of asbestos abatement; replacement of floors, ceilings, and lights in classrooms (remainder of work scheduled for completion in the summer of 2008)

§ Leclaire School: New parent parking lot with student drop-off/pick-up area (kindergarten wing scheduled for renovation in the summer of 2008)

§ Lincoln Middle School: Replacement of the track

§ Edwardsville High School

– Renovation of the D wing to create eight additional classrooms

– New bleachers at Sports Complex

– New concession stand with rest room facilities behind EHS that will serve field hockey, track, Little Tigers football, and Glen-Ed Soccer (work on this project is being completed by community volunteers who have also provided the majority of the funding)

The first half-day of school is scheduled for Tuesday, August 21, 2007.