New students keep pouring into New Lenox Elementary School District 122, where a building program to keep pace with growth is under way, the School Board learned last week.
At the end of April, enrollment in kindergarten through 8th grade had reached 4,292, a considerable increase over the 3,949 students enrolled in April 1999, Supt. Tom Mullins said.
More Top Picks Best Guide Scopes For Astrophotography
Sixty additional students have registered since the end of the school year, and another 70 inquiries have come in to the district office, Mullins said. “It looks like we’ll easily exceed our projections again.”
In a related matter, the School Board last week approved the sale of $40.2 million in bonds. The figure reflects the refinancing of the district’s existing bond debt as well as $16.2 million to add on to the Cherry Hill Kindergarten Center, build a new junior high school and fund improvements at some other district schools, school board member Jeanne Kragie said.
The refinancing will allow the building program to continue without a tax increase.
The School Board also awarded $1.2 million in contracts for the Cherry Hill Kindergarten Center addition.
Mullins said school officials hope the project will be completed by the time the second semester starts in January.
As they build more classrooms, School Board members are examining operating costs at existing schools.
School Board President Joe Ballerini said the board wants to know how much money could be saved if school buildings were shut down at the end of the school day.
A board member asked about extracurricular activity costs.