This is NOT the original renovation plan.

The board pushed PRA and C.D. Smith to come up with an option to rebuild/renovate on the current site while minimizing disruption to students and staff. This NEW option allows students to move into a brand new classroom wing after Phase 1 of construction. That means, all core classes (80% of the day) will be held in newly updated spaces, not temporary classrooms.

The final building will result in a school that is functionally and educationally equivalent to a new building. New, flexible, and collaborative spaces; new infrastructure; better accessibility and safety.

If approved in November, construction is slated to begin January 2028, allowing all of 2027 to gather feedback from teachers and the community to shape final layouts and designs.

Phase 1 (building the new classroom wing) is would take all of 2028. This would allow the move to the new classroom wing to happen over winter break of the 28/29 school year.

Phase 2 (renovating the current classroom wing into a gym and new specials classrooms) is slated for 2029.

Phase 3 (renovating the center gym and surrounding center areas) is planned through the summer of 2030. A temporary cafeteria will need to be set up during this part of the renovation.

Phase 4 (demolition and sitework) is planned from March 2030 thru January 2031. This includes the removal of the front addition added from the 1995 referendum (front gym, front office, lobby area, LMC). The new accessible front entrance would then be created.

Final completion slated for Spring 2031, with the first full school year being 2031/2032.

Assuming anticipated construction timelines for a November approval - kids currently in 2nd grade thru 7th grade will have at least one year in middle school during the project timeline.

Keep in mind, the last school year (‘30/’31) is likely going to be mostly demolition and not construction/renovation.

NO. There will be no temporary classrooms for the core classes. Kids will remain in the current core classrooms for Phase 1 and will move into the brand new core classroom wing for Phase 2, 3, and 4.

Phase 3 will necessitate a temporary cafeteria space and possibly some temporary classrooms for special classes (like Project Lead the Way). The school will have multiple years to prepare for these disruptions.

YES. The final renovated building will be as good as a new building - both educationally and functionally. New infrastructure. New classrooms.

C.D. Smith and PRA answered MANY questions about safety during the Aug 19th board meeting. Some of the safeguards outlined included:

• Hazardous materials would be identified through professional testing and removed by certified contractors before general demolition.

• Abatement areas would be sealed and maintained under negative air pressure.

• Air testing would be completed before spaces reopened.

• Solid physical barriers would keep dust and construction activity away from occupied areas.

• Workers would access construction areas from the exterior only instead of moving through the school. Essentially the building functions as two separate buildings. This keeps workers in the right areas and kids/staff in the right areas.

• Construction traffic, deliveries, and student circulation would be separated.

• Workers would undergo background screening and display authorization.

• Work would comply with village construction-hour restrictions.

• The district and contractor would provide advance notice of upcoming work and a point of contact for neighbors.

The Friends of Armory Park (the veterans group, separate from the Save Armory Park group) have already released a statement of support.

Given the constrained size of the existing middle school site and the importance of properly separating construction activities from school operations, the district is exploring closing E Henry Clay St during construction. This, of course, needs coordination with the Village.

In addition, to accommodate the space required for construction logistics, material storage, and construction parking, the soccer/lacrosse field of Armory Park will be required to function as the project's primary staging area. This approach will allow the team to support a safe and efficient project execution while minimizing disruption to school operations.

District leadership is already looking at how to reallocate facilities and spaces to accommodate all soccer/lacrosse practices and games.

During renovation, outdoor space at the middle school will be significantly reduced. The district is working on a plan to utilize areas of the high school to provide outdoor play space during construction.

After construction, outdoor space will be slightly less than it is now (the building is slightly larger). The space will be consolidated in the southwest corner of the site (where the current bike racks and front gym are located).

There will be a larger set back along Henry Clay after the front addition is demolished. This will provide additional space for bike parking (designs to be finalized after November).

No.
The projects focus on:

• safety systems

• infrastructure

• accessibility

• reliability

• efficient operation

• standard educational best practices

The goal is functioning buildings, not luxury features.

The Middle School is currently in a unique category of "critical need." While all of our schools are aging, the Middle School faces a combination of factors that the other buildings do not: it is the most "landlocked" site, has the most significant student supervision and accessibility (ADA) challenges, and its core infrastructure is the closest to failure. Our middle school was originally constructed in 1918, during a time when long-term campus expansion was not part of the design approach. As a result, the building and site evolved incrementally over time, with additions responding to immediate needs rather than a comprehensive long-range plan, which makes modernizing the current footprint significantly less cost-effective than a new build.

In contrast, our high school and elementary schools, built in the 1920s and 1930s, were designed with greater consideration for future growth. Early conceptual planning identified where additions could occur and how those expansions would integrate with the original structure. That foresight has allowed those campuses to evolve more cohesively over the decades, and with the renovations included in this referendum, their "useful life" can be extended by several decades.

Prioritizing District needs involves a rigorous analysis of both educational impact and facility condition, and while all our schools require investment, the Middle School has been identified as the most pressing priority due to the compounding failure of its core infrastructure and its inability to support modern learning. Unlike the targeted HVAC or localized infrastructure updates needed at the elementary and high schools, which can often be managed through smaller, phased projects, the Middle School's challenges are systemic, involving non-compliant accessibility, failing mechanical systems, and a rigid layout that cannot be modernized through simple repairs. Should the referendum not pass, the Board would face the difficult task of diverting significant funds from our limited operating budget to "patch" a building that is functionally obsolete, potentially delaying the very elementary and high school improvements our neighbors are concerned about. Ultimately, replacing the Middle School is the most fiscally responsible "first move" because it addresses the District’s greatest liability while clearing the path for future, smaller-scale investments across our other campuses.

These projects will still need to be completed, but they are not as critical as the middle school or high school HVAC.

1. Elementary school mechanical systems (HVAC).

2. Additional safety - this project included rebuilding the front entrances of both elementary schools and high school to provide front offices with better sight lines and controlled entrances. The elementary schools would also benefit from the front entrance being accessible so all visitors enter through a single point.

3. Additional infrastructure - this project included work at both elementary schools and the high school to update electrical and plumbing systems, window and roof replacement, facade restoration, PA system replacement and security system upgrades.

4. Lydell upgrades - this project included replacing or upgrading infrastructure systems (HVAC, electrical, plumbing) at Lydell, upgrading security , adding fire safety (sprinklers), renovation of bathrooms for accessibility.

Please note, the district has savings to complete the Lydell projects as part of their community funds. They would explore doing that work as the November projects.