By Chris Fox
The Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board held a regular meeting on Feb. 22 at the District 205 Center, 162 S. York St. All seven board members attended the meeting.
Eight people spoke during the meeting’s public-participation segment. Some of the speakers were district parents who criticized portions of the district’s curriculum, including the Corwin Deep Equity Program. Some of the speakers said that program does not belong in the district’s schools.
Update on capital projects
The meeting included a brief update about capital projects from Todd Schmidt, the district’s director of facilities. He noted that the project to build the new Lincoln Elementary School is coming together. The new school should be ready to open in August for the start of the 2022-23 school year.
Schmidt said the work to build a new Field Elementary School will start at the end of the current school year. Demolition of the current building is scheduled to begin on June 17. The new Field Elementary School should be completed and ready to open in August 2023.
Schmidt said the project to add six classrooms at Fischer Elementary School should start in mid-March and be completed by mid-September. He also noted that the classroom-addition project at Jackson Elementary School should begin in mid-March. The media center additions at Jackson and Jefferson schools should also begin in mid-March.
Schmidt also referred to some projects planned for this summer. He said the bid for the replacement of the roof at York High School’s fieldhouse came in at about $728,000, well under the budgeted amount of $1.2 million. The bid for the roof replacement project at Emerson Elementary School came in at about $960,000, which was over the budgeted amount of about $800,000.
Some of the district’s other capital projects scheduled for this summer include the renovation of York High School’s library (with an estimated cost of $750,000), restroom renovation at the restrooms on either side of the Campbell Gymnasium (estimated at $150,000) and the replacement of York’s stadium scoreboard (estimated at $100,000).
Summer programs discussed, tough to find teachers
The meeting also featured an update about the district’s programs for this summer. According to Kevin Rubenstein, the district’s assistant superintendent for student services, the district will offer a more unified summer program this year. Registration for summer programs should be available during the week of March 7. All summer programs will begin on Monday, June 6. Programs for students up to eighth-grade will run through June 30. York’s summer program for all students will end on Thursday, July 14.
Rubenstein referred to the challenges of finding teachers for summer classes. He said the district is making an ongoing effort to recruit staff members to teach summer programs.
Campbell urges ‘climate of respect’ about mask preferences
District 205 Superintendent Keisha Campbell noted near the end of the meeting that masking is strongly recommended but not required in district facilities. The district has been mask-optional since Feb. 7. Campbell said the choice to wear masks is personal for each student and staff member, and that the district does not interfere with the decision. She said the district continues to foster a climate of respect and acceptance for all community members.
Campbell reiterated that students and staff members who are feeling sick should stay home and focus on getting better. Campbell added that the district had received COVID-19 vaccine records from 3,869 district students.
Re-evaluate lunch procedures?
Board member Christopher Kocinski said the district should consider re-evaluating its lunch procedures. He said that with optional masking, the policy of forced distancing might not make sense. Kocinski stated that since the district went mask-optional on Feb. 7, COVID-19 trends have continued along the same trend.
The board will hold its next regular meeting on March 15.
