By Chris Fox
For The Elmhurst Independent
The Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board held a regular meeting on Aug. 24 at the District 205 Center, 162 S. York St. Board members Christopher Kocinski and Karen Stuefen were absent from the meeting.
Awards presented, students recognized
The board presented a Shining Star Award to District 205 parent liaison Erendira Loza Navarro at the beginning of the meeting. The board also recognized the six York High School students who competed in the recent Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Hybrid National Leadership Conference. The virtual event took place in June. The York students who participated in the event are: Katelyn Guerra, Yusrah Haswarey, Emma Johnson, Julianna Moran, Savannah Nichols and Claire Worobec. Haswarey received a gold medal in the event’s Fashion Construction category, while Worobec received a gold medal in the Culinary Arts category. Worobec was also awarded a $3,000 scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America.
Public forum brings masking comments
Ten people spoke during the meeting’s public-participation segment. Five of the speakers were district parents who supported Gov. JB Pritzker’s recent order to mandate masks in the state’s K-12 schools. Two of the speakers were district parents who did not support Pritzker’s order. Three of the speakers were York students who told the board they felt reluctant to express their opinions in certain classes. One of the students spoke of feeling intimidated in expressing her opinion in a particular class. She said that if she expressed her genuine opinions, she would sacrifice a high grade in that class.
York track almost finished but half a million over budget
The meeting included an update about several of the district’s capital projects. Todd Schmidt, the district’s director of buildings and grounds, delivered the presentation. Schmidt noted that the project to replace York’s stadium track is just about finished. That project reportedly had a budget of $800,000, but will cost about $1.3 million—about $500,000 over budget. The project to provide upgrades to the natatorium at York was budgeted to cost about $550,000. That project will reportedly cost about $700,000.
Lincoln construction $1 million below budget
Schmidt said the current project to build a new Lincoln Elementary School is more than $1 million under budget. The project was supposed to cost about $32.5 million, but the latest estimated actual cost is $31.5 million.
Board president Kara Caforio and board member Courtenae Trautmann noted that some of the district’s capital projects are over budget because those projects have an increase in scope and are more expansive than the original project. Caforio referred to the project to renovate Fischer Elementary School. That project originally had a budget of about $5.3 million. The board, however, later approved a more expansive renovation at the school; the project has a current estimated cost of about $8 million.
Underwater retention areas on schedule
Schmidt said that the project to install an underground storm water retention area and a synthetic-turf athletic field in front of York High School is progressing nicely. He said the City of Elmhurst’s work in installing the underground storm water retention area should be completed around Sept. 27. Once the city’s work is completed, the district will start installing the athletic turf on top of the retention area. Schmidt said the installation of the turf should be completed around Oct. 15.
Overview of new school year
Beverly Redmond, the district’s executive director of communications and public relations, gave a presentation during the Aug. 24 meeting about the start of the 2021-22 school year. The district’s first full day of school in the new school year was Aug. 18. Redmond noted that the new school year has begun with five full days of in-person instruction per week. The 2020-21 school year began with fully remote instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Redmond leaving position
Near the end of the meeting, Caforio stated that Redmond was leaving her position in the district. Redmond has worked for the district since 2018. Caforio thanked Redmond for her service and wished her well in her next endeavor. Redmond did not provide any specifics about her next job. She said she was “moving on to something different.”
The board will hold its next regular meeting on Sept. 7.
