Children played outside on Foster Field, the site of Evanston’s new 5th ward school, as community members gathered before sunset indoors on April 13 to view architectural renderings at a public meeting.
The nearly 90 minute Thursday evening presentation was hosted by Evanston/Skokie School District 65 and held at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center.
District 65 leaders and representatives from architectural firm Cordogan Clark of Aurora presented the update before a question-and-answer session.
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“We are committed to ensuring that this project is seen through and that ground is broken and that we, again, continue to try to do whatever we can within our financial means to be able to make this one of the best schools that has ever been built in this community,” said Sergio Hernandez, president of the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education. “We have a commitment towards making sure that community input is critical to this whole process.”
Proposed floor plan layouts were offered for the three story building. A play field with no running track — due to the field’s smaller size — is to the south of the L-shaped school building.
Architects were happy much of the school will face south overlooking the play field, offering, “an abundance of natural light,” especially important during winter, said Alex Lopez, associate vice president of Cordogan Clark.
“I think we’re blessed,” Lopez said.
Proposed student and school bus drop off patterns were discussed and families served by Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Students would have a choice about their students possibly attending.
The parking lot serving Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center will be redone to share 83 parking stalls with the school. Neighbors brought up the lack of available street parking nearby at all times of day.
Lopez said the building will be for the entire community and continually active.
“We’re very excited about what it might look like in the evening,” Lopez said. “It’s not going to be …, ‘Hey, it’s 3 o’clock, 4 o’clock, let’s turn off the lights.’ The school is going to be open for the community.”
The new school is considered by the district to have an urban distinction where walkability to school by students is encouraged, ideally reducing the amount of traffic to and from the school.
“It’s an urban school and the only way to build is up,” said Raphael Obafemi, chief financial officer for District 65, to the audience, about the building’s multiple stories. “As much as we would like to have a sprawling campus with acres and acres, it’s an urban school.”
Madelyn Messinger, 8 months, of Evanston was a youngest meeting attendee. Madelyn was held by her mother Melissa Messinger of Evanston, executive director of communications for District 65.
The Messinger family resides in Evanston two blocks north of the civic center, not in the 5th ward.
“I think of the importance of this community and I think about the fact that we are bringing a neighborhood school back to the babies of this community and the ability for them to build community with students who live in proximity to their homes, and come to a beautiful new school for activities and learning, I think it’s hope for the future,” Melissa Messinger said. “It makes me so excited and proud to be an Evanston resident.”
Tanya Brown lives in the 5th ward and said she loves the opportunity to have a school in the 5th Ward but is concerned about the change in the ward’s demographics.
“The change of demographics is disturbing me because the school, I thought, was intended for Black families to have a neighborhood school that they didn’t have for so long,” said Brown, whose youngest child is in seventh grade and would not, “even have an opportunity to take advantage of this school.
Brown grew up in Evanston in the house she still resides in and attended local public schools.
“My issue is, this brand new, spanking new school that’s going to be awesome is not going to be for Black families, Black children … Black students are not going to have the priority because they have moved out,” Brown said.
Event attendee Jerri Garl of Evanston has a grandson of a younger elementary grade age who is supposed to attend the new school.
“He’s little,” Garl said. “This is going to be a big school.”
Garl said the meeting was better than those previously held and that feedback from the community was received.
“They clearly heard us about some of the sustainability issues … the lack of green space is still a huge problem,” Garl said.
Class sizes could range at more than 20 students with a maximum of 25 students in each classroom. Officials hope to have the school open in Autumn 2025.
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“This is massive,” Garl said. “I think they’re cramming too much into too small a space.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.