The Flossmoor School District 161 board heard detailed plans on Oct. 27 for a Parker Junior High "refresh" and for humidity and HVAC work at Flossmoor Hills, while asking staff to firm up engineering recommendations and potential added costs.

Facilities staff presented renderings and scope for Parker, describing ceiling and lighting upgrades, new flooring (a terrazzo-look product), replacement of damaged tile, updated front-office security (a secure sliding window/visitor intake), a reconfigured nurse suite with space for cots and privacy curtains, and classroom/office carpet and paint updates. In bathrooms where older tile may contain asbestos, staff proposed epoxy-over-tile as an alternate to full tile removal.

Fran (staff member) described the HVAC scope at Parker and Flossmoor Hills and said Farnsworth Group is conducting pressure testing and engineering analysis. "One of their recommendations was a rewarming coil on the unit ventilators," Fran said, noting there is no off-the-shelf coil available for the existing units and that bespoke solutions or full unit-vent replacement may be required.

Why it matters: the humidity problem at Flossmoor Hills is operational (HVAC/pressurization) and may require additional capital beyond the current refresh budget; engineering work will determine whether added rewarming coils, RTU upsizing or other adjustments are needed.

Funding and schedule: administration said roughly $8.3 million is estimated for the coming summer's work (Parker primary; humidity/RTU work plus management and contingency) exclusive of furniture and flat panels. Bond proceeds of approximately $13.9 million and prior life-safety levies have funded earlier work; administration reported roughly $10.5 million has been spent to date and that a portion of bond contingency remains. Bids are expected before the Christmas break and award recommendations would be brought to the board in January; staff said some work would be staged for spring break and summer to accelerate progress.

Board action: the board approved a proposal from ECS Midwest LLC to perform whole-building air tightness testing at Flossmoor Hills at a cost of $19,405. The motion was moved, seconded and passed by roll call; individual vote lines were not recorded in the transcript excerpt.

Open questions: board members asked for more-specific cost estimates tied to outcomes of the pressure test and Farnsworth's recommendations. Administration agreed to return with bid packages, test results and options in January and with contingency-cost scenarios as requested for levy modeling.

Next steps: staff will complete the pressure testing and bring engineering recommendations (including capital-impact estimates for rewarming coils or unit-vent replacements) and bid results to the board for approval of contractors and budgets.