Construction continues at John Mills Elementary School in Elmwood Park, but officials say the end is around the corner as students wait for Aug 17, scheduled to be the first day of school.
When the doors open at Elmwood Park Community Unit School District’s John Mills, 2824 N. 76th Ave., students and teachers will enter a newly renovated school, with two new classrooms, an updated cafeteria and a new main entrance. An elevator still is under construction on the east side of the building, but should be completed by the fall, according to Principal Mary Sturgill.
She said other than the elevator, everything else should be ready on the first day of school.
“We’re excited to have a new, secure entrance for our kids and our families and a new, fresh cafeteria for our kids to use,” she said.
Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401 Superintendent Kevin Anderson said the cost for the improvements was around $3.3 million. From that amount, $1 million is being used to the pay for the elevator, he said.
“We’re thankful it’s almost done,” he said. “A month ago, we wondered if it would be finished in time.”
He said the elevator is being built to assist students and staff members who have disabilities, but also will help with the transport of heavy items among the different floors of the school. He said the elevator should be up and running in December.
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The outside of the school’s main entrance on east side of the building also will be getting new brick installed, which Anderson says will give it a new look.
“The teachers are excited,” he said.
He said the new brickwork should be finished by October. Students and staff members currently use the west side entrance to enter and leave the school.
Deanna Wassom said her two children, Nicole, 10, who will be attending John Mills and son Kyle, 15, who attends Elmwood Park High School, are both eager to start the new school year.
“I’m excited for them,” Deanna Wassom said. “I love them all here.”
Wassom said she has lived in Elmwood Park for more than 40 years and said schools like John Mills make the village a nice place to live.
“It’s a great place to grow up,” she said.
Twitter: @DavidDPollard