La Grange School District 102 is asking voters to approve $82 million in general obligation bonds in the April 1 consolidated general election in an effort to fund upgrades to aging facilities and infrastructure in the district.
“I believe that this is a generational investment,” District 102 Superintendent Chris Covino said, adding that the district has developed “an incredibly comprehensive plan …every building, every classroom.”
“We’re going to take care of the most pressing structural issues right off the bat, with roofs and plumbing and tuck pointing. I will predict that we will not have an additional infusion of taxpayer investment for at least the life of this bond,” he said.
The life, or repayment schedule, of the bond is 25 years. The terms of the referendum are that the money has to be spent within five years of it passing.
If successful, the actual amount of the funds will be $81,733,550 million and will increase property taxes for a homeowner with a property valued at $400,000 by $418 yearly, according to district figures. Taxes on a property valued at $500,000 taxes would increase $532 annually, and a $600,000 property would be taxed $646 more annually.
If approved, the District will put the bonds out in the fall of 2025.
Covino spoke of the crucial needs of a district with so many old buildings.
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“So we have six buildings, three of which are over 100 years old, and anyone who owns an old house knows can easily understand that things break down, old pieces have to be replaced,” he said.
He also noted that the district was already spending approximately $4 million annually just keeping up the older buildings and stressed that the figure was higher than what other school districts spend.
“One of the largest pieces of this referendum is related directly to infrastructure,” he said.
Covino pointed to a “very old plumbing system” in Cossitt School in La Grange, and aging roofs at Ogden Avenue School in La Grange and Park Jr. High in La Grange Park.
Park Jr. High also would be converted, if the referendum passes, into a middle school serving grades 6-8 “to alleviate district overcrowding,” according to a list of plans posted on the district’s website.
Plans also call for building additions, including a new cafeteria at Forest Road School in La Grange Park, four new classrooms at Barnsdale Road School in La Grange Park and a new gymnasium at Cossitt School. There would be building renovations at Barnsdale Road, Congress Park, and Forest Road schools, including all elementary school bathrooms, and safety and security upgrades for Forest Road School.
“A lot of what we plan to do with this referendum is to optimize the space we currently have,” Covino said, adding the new gym at Cossitt will alleviate lunchtime crowding.
Another planned project would expand the district’s Science Center, currently located in the basement of Barnsdale School.
“It’s a large space completely devoted to hands-on science,” Covino said. While kids get daily classroom science education at their home schools, they’re only exposed to the Science Center a few times per year.
“We want to preserve as much of that Science Center feel and activity as we transition to what I would call mini science centers in each school,” he said. “They would get to do it way more often and the curriculum would be more connected to their day-to-day learning in science.”
Covino said he’s confident the community will support the referendum.
“I’m feeling optimistic,” he said. “We have a tremendous amount of positive community support. Once the board voted to put the ballot on this April election, the community organized itself into a “vote yes” group that has done some wonderful work over the last 90 days.”
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.