The new construction on the end of the D-hall will be a 4.2-million-dollar extension, including new science labs, a new storage room, and a new indoor stairwell. The construction will last around one year. The focus of new construction is to help prepare interests of students looking towards completing advanced science education by adding more opportunities for lab assignments.
The Illinois government only requires 2 years of science education, but many CCHS students who want to learn more in the Science field usually take 4 years of science classes, CCHS has more students pursing science classes than average, including many elective, AP, and Honors courses that aren’t found in most other Illinois high schools.
“There’s no other high school in Southern Illinois that has the science offerings that we have,” Dr. Daniel Booth, District Superintendent said.
The school currently has 10 science teachers yet only 3 labs, limiting the quality of AP, Honors, and some elective science courses, as the normal science classrooms only come with one sink, one gas output, and one water output.
The construction will include 4 new AP labs, 2 new Chem labs, a new stairwell, and the modification of D-212 into a storage room. The 2 new chem labs will also include 2 new lab prep rooms and 2 new small storage rooms.
“I’ve been in the district 5 years, and we started having conversations (about the D-hall expansion) 4 to 5 years ago,” Ray Toliver, The Chief School Business Official said.
The new extension is expected to be ready by Labor Day 2026, after then students should expect higher quality science classes with more opportunities for hands-on learning, especially in AP and Honors courses.
After the construction is complete, science teachers that are moved into the labs should expect a larger classroom with similar or the same number of students, and more equipment for lab projects such as more sinks, gas outputs, and water outputs.
Current plans involve current science teachers being moved into the new labs, and no new teachers are planned to be hired to fill any spaces when the construction is complete.
The construction is designed and engineered by Lunsford Architects Inc. and will be contracted by J3 Contracting L.L.C.
