In Franklin Park, 2019 saw continued industrial development, new businesses and strong home sales, while schools renovated and expanded and added new programs.
1. Business investment.
Businesses including Travelon, Jersey Mike’s and Elevate Physical Therapy and Fitness all chose Franklin Park for their new locations in 2019, Franklin Park Mayor Barrett Pedersen said.
At the same time, Pedersen said, industrial development is continuing, including along Irving Park Road. Companies such as Digital Realty invest in the community. “Their investment in Franklin Park is now over $1 billion,” Pedersen said of Digital Realty.
Village businesses along Franklin Avenue began a new Franklin Park tradition, holding their first October Trunk-or-Treat. Other fests continue attracting visitors. “Railroad Daze had more participants than any other I can remember,” Pedersen said of the June festival.
2. Homes are selling.
As some visit, others stay. Realtors say homes have been selling more quickly in Franklin Park
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than in nearby towns such as Elmwood Park, Oak Park or River Forest.“Home sales are brisk,” Pedersen said. “When a home goes up for sale in Franklin Park, it usually has multiple offers within the first week.”
3. School building improvements.
Elementary schools and high schools each had renovations in 2019.
“We put a two-story addition onto Passow School to allow for an expansion to our federally-funded preschool program,” District 84 Superintendent David Katzin said. “Because of that addition, not only did we double the number of students we serve, we can do so at their home location.”
Katzin said the addition took place last summer, and that a Preschool for All grant which increased in 2018 helped fund the project, ensuring that kindergarten students can stay at the school where they attended preschool.
Renovations at East and West Leyden continued. “We completed the West Leyden project and had a ribbon-cutting ceremony,” Leyden High School District 212 Superintendent Nick Polyak said.
Partly because of West Leyden’s renovations, the school had space to welcome Navy recruits on Thanksgiving Day.
“A pride point of 2019 was being able to serve and host the recruits from Great Lakes,” Polyak said.
Other events at Leyden, such as a new USO Big Band Show, were ways that the high schools continued a tradition of supporting veterans. Polyak said a school webpage honoring veteran alumni grew in 2019.
4. Academic improvements in schools.
Schools continued to look at new ways to help students learn. Pre-kindergarten students now have access to a regular and a special-education teacher.
“Beginning in this school year, it’s co-taught,” Katzin said. “It provides a blended learning environment for kids both with and without special needs.”
Katzin said this year completed the 1:1 transition, with all kindergarten through 8th-graders having their own technological device. Students in 3rd through 8th grades can take devices home.
“We’re putting our resources into early intervention,” Katzin said, which he said could make students more likely to keep up with their peers in later grades.
New awards and new programs from 2018 are developing in 2019. For example, Co.lab is a cohort program for select students at Leyden.
“The development of co.lab is redefining freshman year for many of our students,” Polyak said. “Students are learning knowledge and skills but most importantly how to apply those skills in their community and world.”
Now, “The first year of graduates move on to sophomore year with a greater understanding of how their work impacts the community,” Polyak said.
“When Teatro Leyden won the Magna award from the National School Board Association, DonorsChoose gave Leyden $10,000 to help with that program,” Polyak said. “We were able to commission a local playwright to create a show for our students.”
In September, the Unity in Community Foundation hosted a fundraiser in support of West Leyden student AJ Fuentes’ family, helping them meet medical needs.
5. New school leadership.
New members joined the Leyden team in 2019.
Patricia Makishima, West Leyden’s principal, began July 1st. “I’ve been so impressed by the way she’s connected with staff and students and made herself part of the Leyden family immediately,” Polyak said.
School board member Jack Tobin retired from the school board after 23 years of service, and Cesar Garcia joined as the newest board member.
“The board has a motto, ‘doing what’s best for our kids,’ and Cesar has adopted that right away,” Polyak said. “It feels like he’s been part of the board forever.”
6. Mobile stroke unit.
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Advanced medical care is available through a new mobile stoke unit. “I’m really excited about RUSH bringing in the mobile stroke unit,” Pedersen said.
7. Emergency responses.
In early April, police officers subdued an armed man who was hiding in a church. Pedersen and board members honored the police officers who responded in May.
“It was a great honor to have them honored, and certainly a well-earned recognition,” Pedersen said.
In September, a Leyden student injured another Leyden student in a stabbing at school.
“The time we put in building our plans and protocols were very helpful when an actual situation happened,” Polyak said.
Since then, Polyak said the school has developed new protocols for locking doors and continues their focus on safety.
“I was incredibly proud of the way our students and staff handled themselves, and I’m equally proud of how well we coordinated with our first responders,” Polyak said.