KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar BluffStudents still study in cramped conditions at Creal Springs School

Students still study in cramped conditions at Creal Springs School

By Julia Bruck - bio | email

CREAL SPRINGS, IL (KFVS) - Too many students and not enough space, it's a reality for many students and staff at Creal Springs School in Illinois.  However, another push is underway to get a new building, which officials hope, will ease overcrowding problems.

For nearly 100 years, the sounds of young children playing have filled the playground at Creal Springs School.  Inside older students study in cramped classrooms.  Sixth grader Jerica Wilkins says she did not expect this in her final years as a Creal Springs Lion.

"We all heard that we were going to be graduating from the new school, the first class too.  But since they have kept putting it off, we probably will not be able too," Wilkins said.

Originally built for only 150 students, there are now more than 200 kids Pre-K through 8th graders who walk the halls.  Principal Andy Shelby says every inch of this building is used in order to provide students with the best possible educational experience.

At lunch time that means a basement hallway is transformed into a cafeteria.

"Plus with the PE class coming through it makes it worse because you're afraid you're going to bump into some," sixth grader Madison Wilson said.

The classrooms are not much different, as social studies, science, and art are all taught in the same room.  However, Shelby says space is not the only problem.  The building is just old.

"When you have a building in 1912 you are going to have issues with the brick and mortar," Shelby said.  "It becomes expensive to repair over the years."

Back in 2008 Williamson County voters agreed and passed a one percent sales tax increase to help fund a new school.  But Shelby says a law suit blocked the use of those dollars.  So now, efforts are underway to find alternative funding to pay for a more than $12 million new building.

"The plans are there," Shelby said.  "The land is purchased.  Everything is ready to go accept for the financing and that's what we're going to get done this month."

A public forum will be held at Creal Springs School next week.  During the meeting, Principal Shelby and others will present ideas to fund a new school building.  The school board is expected to vote on proposed new school funding the middle of December.

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