CARPENTERSVILLE
Perry school plan upsets parents
Dozens of parents and teachers have voiced opposition to a proposed boundary change that would decentralize services for handicapped preschoolers and eliminate the kindergarten program at Perry Elementary School in Carpentersville.
The plan includes moving the kindergarten classes from Perry to the building that houses the deLacey Family Education Center. In turn, special-education programs at deLacey would be moved to several elementary schools in District 300.Perry serves about 880 children, 215 of which are kindergartners; deLacey serves nearly 500 in morning and afternoon programs. The schools are within a few miles of each other.
Perry teachers at Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting wore K’s on their shirts to support the kindergarten program there.
Several parents of deLacey pupils also objected.
“At deLacey all the services our children could possibly need are available in a centralized location,” parent Kristin Basovsky said.
In April, the Board of Education asked Supt. Kenneth Arndt to develop a plan to ease overcrowding at Perry, Arndt said.
“It’s going to be a short-term solution whatever the board decides upon,” Arndt said.
Long-term options, he said, include adding on to Perry or building an elementary school.
The school board will decide on a plan in December, he said.
Tim Kane
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ELK GROVE VILLAGE
Tax cut sought for Touhy building
Elk Grove Village officials have recommended reducing the property tax assessment on a vacant building at 1300 Touhy Ave., where a developer wants to make improvements.
Gullo International Development Corp. bought the building in August for $1.5 million. The company plans to renovate offices, improve mechanical systems and make other improvements, officials said.
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Under a Cook County program aimed at spurring economic development, the board recommended Tuesday that the property tax assessment be reduced to 16 percent from 36 percent for 12 years. The proposed reduction would have to be approved by the Cook County assessor.
Nancy Carlson, the village economic development officer, said the tax assessment program was adopted in 1984 to assist business development in Cook County. She estimated the village has supported more than 300 applications.
Ken Manson