An initiative taken by District 118 Board member Christopher Easton came to light during Wednesday (Jan 18th) evening’s meeting when Assistant Superintendent John Hart announced an expenditure of $21,600 for seven digital solar speed limit signs in various district locations where some extra traffic safety is needed. Hart said one spot will be coming north on Jackson approaching Danville High School. And he gave a couple other examples.
AUDIO: North and south on Jackson Street by North Ridge. That’s a pretty important one; a lot of traffic, a lot of people going to North Ridge in vehicles and a lot of walkers as well. On Fairchild in front of Mark Denman would be another one.
(Left) The northbound and southbound Jackson Street approaches to North Ridge, and (Right) the northbound Jackson Street approach to DHS are areas where the new solar speed limit signs will be placed.
We all know these signs; they flash at you and tell you what your speed is, and what it should be. As Easton says, it’s so often not someone speeding on purpose; but someone thinking about their busy day, and forgetting they are in a school zone.
AUDIO: I just thought, especially around the middle school where you have kids walking to school; that we just be alerted that the kids are here; it’s time to slow down; pay attention. I think the signs will help do that. I mean you’ve just got other things on your mind. Sometimes you don’t remember that, “oh yeah, the kids are in school today.” And they’re literally eight feet from you on sidewalk; or in front of you on the road.
Hart says if all goes well, the city may be able to obtain a grant for some additional signs at needed areas. As an example, he cited Vermilion Street while approaching Edison School.
Meanwhile, District 118 Director of Building and Grounds Skip Truex announced, with board approval, the acceptance of an $11,888,000 bid from AGAE Contractors in Elk Grove for the addition and remodeling project at the district’s Kenneth D Bailey Academy 7th through 12th grade alternative learning center at 502 East Main. This will include eight new classrooms, a new gym; along with a new roof, windows, heating and air conditioning system, and a new parking lot and playground.
In addition, this is the time of year District 118 music students can find themselves very busy. As District Fine Arts Facilitator Brian Klett explains, the recent DHS Show Choir trip to Mount Zion Saturday, January 14th, was quite a success.
AUDIO: Three of our kids got outstanding performers. Contemporaires, I believe, got second in the unisex division. And then the Executives, which are the boys, got third. And then the Delegation got seventh overall out of 17.
DHS will be hosting their own show choir competition, the Midwest Classic, the first weekend in February. The junior highs will be performing Friday night the 3rd, and high schools all day Saturday the 4th.
Finally, the Federally Qualified Health Center for students at Danville High School is staffed and currently going through its vetting process with the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation. The first students should be passing through on January 30th.
