WYNNE — The Wynne School District has proposed renovations to the exterior of Wynne Junior High School to improve the safety of students and staff.
“In the junior high when you’re buzzed in, you have access to the kids, the staff immediately. Our secretaries although they’re looking out at the camera when they buzz someone in, when you’re looking through a camera, it’s hard to see everything,” said Wynne Schools Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Moore. “We’ve had concerns. … I know Mr. Easley even had talked about trying to get that building renovated as well. We bounced off what he already started and started looking at that. We have an opportunity to do that renovation. It will be out of our building fund, our own funds, but we can create a safe environment.”
Dr. Moore said the project would involve extending the current awnings out and relocating the current school office.
“If you pick your kid up over there if it’s raining, those two awnings right now are inset. Kids on the east side cannot see cars coming from the west side,” he said. “We’ll extend that out to be even with the front of the building. The entrance will then be on the northeast corner of that building.
“The secretary’s office will be there. They’ll be able to look out and see anyone that’s coming in to be buzzed into that building,” Dr. Moore added. “That will separate any visitors from students and the rest of the office. We’ll adjust Mr. Wingo’s office into what is now the nurse’s office. We’ll move her office back. … The original location of the nurse’s office was on that west side.”
Dr. Moore said that once renovations are complete, the current entryway into the office will be for students and staff only.
“We hate to have to think like that in today’s world, but we have to create a place where we are deterring the access to our students and staff,” he said.
Dr. Moore said the project would take about three months and is expected to cost around $1 million. The district is now seeking state approval for the project before seeking bids. The work would have to take place during the school year.
