Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 leaders count on work to start subsequent summer time on greater than $89 million in capital enhancements to buildings within the elementary faculty district after unofficial poll counts point out voters have accepted the district referendum.
According to the Cook County Clerk’s unofficial outcomes from the Nov. 5 election, roughly 65 % of voters dwelling within the Niles-based faculty district voted “sure” within the binding referendum: “The Board of Education of Park Ridge-Niles District Community Consolidated School Number 64, Cook County, Illinois, alter, restore and equip present buildings, assemble and equip additions and enhance faculty websites, together with however not restricted to bettering security and safety; substitute of roofs, plumbing, electrical techniques, HVAC and air high quality techniques; updating of lecture rooms and scientific laboratories; putting in energy-efficient enhancements; improve accessibility beneath the Americans with Disabilities Act; and add house for particular training; and concern bonds of mentioned faculty district within the quantity of $89,106,629 to pay the prices thereof?”
Around 35% rejected the referendum.
“We had been thrilled to see the neighborhood help this referendum to maintain our faculties protected and maintained,” SD64 Superintendent Ben Collins instructed the Pioneer Press the day after the election. “The upgrades to our buildings will present a lot better studying and instructing environments for college students and employees. Our neighborhood takes nice delight in our faculty system, and we stay up for our dedication to sustaining these public buildings for years and generations to return.”
The district enrolls greater than 4,500 college students in grades pre-kindergarten by means of elementary faculty in eight faculties: one pre-Okay heart, two center faculties and 5 pre-kindergarten by means of fifth grade faculties. The faculties are situated in Niles and Park Ridge.
Collins mentioned the district will instantly start planning to start building in the summertime of 2025. He defined {that a} house within the faculty district value $500,000 can count on to see a property tax improve of $411 per yr. yr for the following 25 years as a part of the bond concern. accepted on this referendum.
“No one desires to see taxes go up,” he mentioned, “however the neighborhood deserves to know the reality concerning the state of affairs we discover ourselves in. Our faculties will not be in good situation in any respect. We are confronted with pointless bills for emergency repairs, plumbing and water as a result of the common age of our buildings is 75 years and three of our buildings are over 97 years previous.”
Praising the northern suburbs the place the colleges are situated, Jeanne Robert, co-president of the parent-teacher group at George Carpenter Elementary School in Park Ridge, mentioned the college buildings want work.
“This referendum will strengthen our faculties and provides the district the sources it must make them protected,” he instructed the Pioneer Press. “Now is the time to make these very important enhancements. … Our instructional services want it, our neighborhood deserves it.”
Robert mentioned he believes district leaders have been attentive to residents’ issues about prices.
“It began with $146 million and so they introduced it right down to $89.1 million. It’s lots of care and consideration for what the district wants and what’s necessary,” Robert mentioned. “I’m completely happy that they are respectful and aware of our greenbacks and what must occur shifting ahead and into the long run .”
Collins, who joined the district in July 2023, mentioned he has hosted 65 info periods on the referendum since final April. He known as his message to stakeholders trustworthy, clear and data-driven.
“The price of sustaining (the buildings of their present state) will actually overwhelm our funds,” Collins mentioned, “and will definitely develop into disastrous yearly.”
One of probably the most wanted enhancements, he mentioned, is on the 96-year-old Lincoln Middle School, which has outdated plumbing, HVAC, roofing, lighting, inside doorways and flooring.
The district discovered asbestos in a lot of the constructing’s infrastructure, and lots of the tutorial areas are outdated. All faculty buildings want important infrastructure enhancements, in response to the superintendent.
One of the primary issues of oldsters he spoke with, he mentioned, is security, noting specifically that classroom doorways do not work in a lockdown state of affairs. The price to improve all of the doorways and frames is $2.3 million, he mentioned.
To make sure the district would not go to a capital enhancements referendum once more, Collins mentioned he and his crew have drafted a 30-year capital plan that outlines an annual substitute life cycle for all the pieces mechanical. This contains, amongst different plans, changing the heating, air flow and air con system each 25 years and changing the roof each 15 years.
The enchancment plan additionally calls for 3 small constructing expansions at Franklin and Eugene Field elementary faculties, the place some lessons — together with math and speech — needed to be held in hallways on account of lack of house.
Collins mentioned the entire enchancment plans have been designed however nonetheless must undergo the approval course of with the town of Park Ridge.
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.
