Lake County Gazette

The Diamond Lake school district has strategically devised essential construction projects to optimize the utilization of grant funds and tackle infrastructure requirements.

During the board of education meeting held on May 16, members of the Diamond Lake School district engaged in discussions regarding their forthcoming projects for the upcoming summer construction season. Eric Rogers, the director of Finance and Operations, presented a straightforward outline of the projects slated for completion this year.

"I just want to provide an update on what's been planned so far and really just highlight the district's efforts to seek out all federal and state grants to fund these projects," Rogers said. "So, every one of these has been identified as a priority, and then we try to find a grant that matches that priority."

Accompanied by detailed explanations of their funding and underlying reasoning. Notably, the district has planned significant endeavors at Diamond Lake School and the West Oak campus, encompassing both the intermediate and middle schools.

At Diamond Lake, Rogers explained, they will be “using the 50/50 matching grant that's with the state board of Ed,” and will be doing a chimney repair, exterior tuck pointing, and replacing some exterior grills. According to Rogers, Diamond Lake will use local funds to repair the service road on campus, which the maintenance guys would be really excited about. The school also has a community partnership grant that they will use on the playground.

“We would be renovating the playground to modernize it, expand the play surface,” getting rid of the 20-year-old equipment and getting a quality soccer field," Rogers said.

With the assistance of a grant from the Department of Justice, the Diamond Lake school district will be able to upgrade and replace outdated camera systems at both locations. Additionally, door replacement and rekeying projects will be carried out across all schools to address the aging infrastructure. These necessary improvements and replacements are scheduled to be completed without causing any disruptions to the upcoming school year.

Unlike the other campuses, the West Oak campus does not have access to matching grants from the state board of education. Therefore, they will utilize local tax funds to renovate their staff bathrooms. Furthermore, the campus will make use of community partnership grant funds to enhance its outdoor spaces, including the addition of an outdoor gazebo that can serve as both an event space and a classroom. Multiple seating areas will also be created outdoors for students to utilize, accompanied by improved outdoor lighting to enhance safety and security. The repaving of the West Oak parking lot is planned for the summer of 2024.