Establishing a secure vestibule and ADA-compliant entrance required completely redesigning the front entrance of the 80-year-old facility. Poettker built a ramp complete with railings to enhance the accessibility of the rural junior high school.Effingham Jr. High School in Effingham, Illinois, required major renovations of its 1939 and 1964 combined buildings. The existing 112,000-square-foot building needed accessibility, safety, and security upgrades, as well as modern learning environment enhancements. The school district hired Poettker Construction Company as the construction manager for the consultation and execution of its restoration project.
The project required an adaptable, unique construction schedule because the building was near full student capacity. The school district and Poettker Construction decided the lowest impact solution was utilizing the summer at full potential. Phases were organized into priorities and goals to be accomplished by the end of each summer. Phase one emphasized the safety and accessibility of the school.
The $15 million renovation project provided a 21st century educational space for Effingham Jr. High School students at a fraction of what a new building would cost. It is still the same hallways the rural community’s alumni walked, but inside the classrooms are learning environments that have moved forward 100 years.
The doors of the junior high school were widened for wheelchair access. The entry now provides an 18-inch clearance on the door handle side. 
Formerly the drop-off lane for school buses, the breezeway was converted into a collaboration area for students and teachers. Ramps and railings were installed to provide accessibility between buildings.
The front entrance features a controlled vestibule and an expanded entryway with a safer, secure, and efficient admin office space.
