WINCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD WEIGHS FUTURE OF GRADE SCHOOL GYM

WINCHESTER — The Winchester School Board has not yet made a final decision on the future of the Winchester Grade School gym as district leaders continue gathering information and weighing costs tied to potential replacement or demolition.

Superintendent Jeff Abell says the district has received a second evaluation report from the Illinois State Board of Education, which led the regional superintendent’s office to recommend condemnation of the gym. However, Abell emphasized that the final decision rests with the Winchester School Board.

According to Abell, early estimates indicate it may be more expensive to attempt a limited demolition and remodel of the existing structure than to pursue other options. Financial considerations will play a key role in determining next steps. The board has already approved funding in a special session to address safety mitigation measures that allow the school cafeteria and kitchen to remain in operation.

Abell says the district’s immediate focus remains on completing a planned multi-purpose building, a project already underway before the gym issues emerged. That building is intended to provide an indoor recess space for grade school students, along with other uses, and must be completed before colder weather returns in the fall and winter. The exact location of the new building has not yet been finalized, though Abell hopes construction can begin this summer.

The district currently has approximately $300,000 available in fire safety funds that could be applied toward safety mitigation, with about $1.5 million remaining in the district’s health, life, and safety funding cap. School officials are continuing to evaluate how those funds may be used.

The issue with the gym surfaced January 15, when a maintenance worker reported noticeable roof sagging. Since that time, the gym has remained unused, and the Winchester Tournament was relocated to Bluffs.

School leaders say discussions will continue as the board works to determine both short-term safety needs and long-term facility plans for the district.