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Duff has a new library

Duff Elementary is still Duff.

That’s what the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee found out when its members toured Duff and had their quarterly meeting in the school’s cafeteria this week. They were there to see the 2019 Bond renovations and addition that brought some significant changes to the school.

“There’s a lot of nostalgia when you have a 60-year-old building,” said Duff principal Cindy Harbison about the school that opened in 1961.

She told the CBOC that some in the Duff community were a little concerned that the bond project might mess up that special something that Duff has.

“But when we came this summer and saw the paint and the lights, it was amazing,” Harbison said. “It still has that community school feel, but the renovations have been great.”

Duff is still Duff – just a little better.

In fact, Duff got more than new paint, new ceilings and new LED lighting throughout much of the campus. It also got an expanded, completely renovated library.

“The library is awesome,” Harbison said. It’s very functional.”

Something the old library was not.

And next week, the biggest part of the bond project at Duff will open for students. The new gym is finally ready.

The new 5,030-square-foot gym addition is replacing Duff’s tiny gym that was demolished before construction began. With six basketball goals, striping for basketball and volleyball, two restrooms, an office and storage, the new gym is a vast improvement over the old, tiny gym. Plus, the new gym has been constructed as a storm shelter, sized to accommodate the entire student and staff population.

more Duff photos.

Citizens Bond Oversight Committee

Following the tour of Duff, the committee members met in Duff’s cafeteria to receive updates on the 2019 Bond program from Kelly Horn, 91ֱ��’s assistant superintendent for facility services. The presentation included updates on bond-funded projects for facilities, fine arts, technology, security and transportation. (See the presentation.)

The CBOC’s charge is to follow the district’s bond program progress and annually report its findings and recommendations to the 91ֱ�� Board of Trustees (read the CBOC’s charge).