While Galesburg District 205 navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, it also renovated several school buildings.
One of the projects converted the high school into a junior-senior high for seventh through twelfth grade students.
The building also got a modern HVAC system, water upgrades, additional classroom space, a refurbished auditorium, new commons areas, and a life skills lab.
The total cost of the junior-senior high school renovation was $42 million.
The project was funded through a one-cent sales tax, a combination of health-life safety funds, working cash, and refunding bonds.
Due to low interest rates, the district restructured its debts.
Superintendent John Asplund said that the district has been able to provide upgrades in both the facilities and the quality of life for students and staff.
“We’ve provided a lot of positives for pay, for incentives, for working conditions, for learning conditions,” he said.
Asplund said some community members have expressed concerns about the tax implications of the building upgrades, but he said the property tax rate is currently 22-cents lower than seven years ago.
Asplund added that closing some buildings made operations more efficient and allowed the district to reduce administrative staff.
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