30-05-2025
Effingham school adding mobile classrooms, looking for other additions with potential $55 million bond
EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WCIA) — An Effingham Elementary School is getting four new mobile classrooms, and soon, all second graders will be learning on the same campus for the first time in years.
Jessica Reeder, the principal at South Side Elementary, said one of the reasons for the expansion is because the district has grown over the years. For the last 14 years, second graders have been split between classrooms at South Side and classrooms at Central Grade School.
Spaces like the mobile classrooms will change that.
'Our art classes will be housed out there, our music classes, our ELL classes and one special education classroom,' Reeder said.
All students will be in the new, separate classrooms three days of each week.
'Now we're all here together. We're able to solve problems together but also maximize all of our resources,' Reeder added.
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But, growth isn't the only reason for the temporary expansion. In November's election, a referendum for a potential sales tax increase failed.
Andrew Johnson, the district's superintendent, said the mobile classrooms were part of their 'backup plan' if the referendum failed. Now, the district is using $750,000 – $1 million from various funds to pay for the rented mobile classrooms.
'I'm a firm believer in investing in our future at the highest level. Our children are our future,' Johnson said.
The school board also recently passed a $55 million bond resolution to possibly fund other projects, including a new building for students in kindergarten, first grade and second grade. Johnson said that the project itself would cost about $45 million, but keep students in one area instead of three separate buildings.
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Right now, the district is in a 'petition period,' Johnson explained. He expects to hear an answer about the bonds moving forward or not within the next 30 days.
If they do, he said, people in Effingham could see an 8-13% property tax increase within the next year. It depends on how much the Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) goes up in the Effingham area. If it doesn't move forward, he said it'll be a ballot question on ballots in the spring of 2026.
As construction continues outside of South Side, educators like Johnson and Reeder are staying positive as they look forward to welcoming students back in the new spaces starting in the fall.
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