The Examiner U-46 News Feed

U-46 details outlined for some capital project plans

By Seth Hancock
  New schools and renovations are among the major capital projects underway in School District U-46.
  Recently, the Board of Education approved, on Monday, Nov. 6 a construction contract costing $52.4 million to convert Hawk Hollow into a middle school as well as architectural contracts for a renovation project at Kimball Middle School and to construct a new middle school in Elgin off of Rohrssen Road. Additionally, items related to taking on $35 million in new debt have been presented.
  This is all part of a facility plan and study that has been in the works since 2020 which was aided by voters approving of new debt last spring.
  On Sept. 25, the board approved of a resolution affirming the plans which described some of the work.
  “The Board of Education supports the Superintendent and U-46 administration in accepting the recommendations as presented during the September 18, 2023 special meeting of the Board of Education, specifically concerning the: plan to retire Abbott Middle School and Ellis Middle School after the 2025-2026 school year, updated timing for the transition of grade 6 to middle school to now occur in the 2026-2027 school year, initiation of design phase for construction of a new middle school, and initiation of design phase for additions at Kimball Middle School and Kenyon Woods Middle School,” the resolution stated.
  The Sept. 18 special meeting referred to in the resolution described some of the projects already in the works.
  The Hawk Hollow project is expected the break ground in February 2024. The project was approved and budgeted for with district reserves of prior to the debt referendum approval.
  The planned new middle school in Elgin is estimated to cost $90 million to $130 million with plans for it to be ready by 2026-2027. Renovations at Kimball ($40 million to $60 million) and Kenyon Woods ($30 million to $40 million) are also estimated to be ready by 2026-2027.
  The number of middle schools in the district would remain at eight when all is said and done with Hawk Hollow being converted and a new school built and the retiring of Abbott and Ellis middle schools after the 2025-2026 school year.
  The total middle school capacity would be 6,975. Middle school enrollment is expected to drop, even with sixth grade being added, by an average of 144 a year from 7,062 in 2023-2024 to 5,622 in 2032-2033.
  Elementary enrollment is expected to drop by nearly half from just under 20,000 in 2018 to around 11,000 in 2032. Other middle and elementary projects are planned, but nothing specific has been set yet.