The Facilities Committee was reconvened September 25, 2003 to continue to look at enrollment projections and facility needs for school year 2004-05. The Facilities Committee is made up of parents, teachers, support staff and administrators working to develop recommendations for Board consideration as they relate to school space utilization.

Over the course of fall 2003 the Facilities Committee held open public meetings on 5 different occasions with topics discussed such as enrollment trends, classroom utilization, District 34 Cohort study for 2004-05, Cluster Boundary Review, and potential building renovations/repair projects. Meetings were held at Westbrook School, Springman School, Attea School and the Administration Building.

The school floor plans attached are current Facility usage showing vacant classrooms at the primary schools. The school district this past summer reconfigured each school in preparation for the opening of Attea Middle School. The primary schools, Lyon, Henking and Westbrook, will have available classrooms for growth next year. The intermediate schools continue to be at capacity with Pleasant Ridge School adding a mobile classroom summer of 2003.

In comparing student projections for September 2003-04 our own Cohort Survival Projections has forecast 4079 students, K12 Analytic Group Forecast 4042 and the John D. Karsarda report of 1999 forecast 3800 students for our current school year. As of December 31, 2003 we had 3977 students enrolled.

Based on our projections for 2004-05-06 we can expect 56 students, 72 students, and 78 students in our kindergarten enrollment alone.

The Village of Glenview has reported to us through their census of the Glen Development that 545 children are below age 5 inclusive of Navy housing in 2003. We typically see 70% of these children enrolled in public schools. (380)

The Facilities Committee discussed this at length and feels Westbrook School will have adequate space initially but will not be able to house all these students by 2007-08 and beyond. Westbrook/Glen Grove has been designated to house the Glen student population. Glen Grove School will also be at capacity and will need to be studied closely as enrollment increases for this cluster. The Facilities Committee will continue to monitor this population in 2004-05 and begin to recommend alternatives for the Board to consider.

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT TRENDS.

The Facilities Committee has developed a Chart (attached), which shows continued growth in number of students enrolled in District 34 over the past 11 years. The graph used by the Committee shows growth of 770 students from 1992 through September 2003.

In 1990 the US Census counted approximately 37,000 residents in Glenview. Ten years later the 2000 census indicated almost 42,000 residents in Glenview, over a 13% increase. From 1993 through fall of 2003 District 34 enrollment has grown by more than 500 students, from 3,400 to 3,980. That is over a 16% increase in students enrolled.

Based on the past 10 year enrollment trend the Facilities Committee feels confident in the Cohort Survival Projections of 50-80 new students each year for the next 3-5 years. This trend is also confirmed by K12 Analytical Group Track 10 study of District 34 student population.

The Facilities Committee also discussed this fall “How District 34 Handles Enrollment Growth”. We have been dealing with many variables over the past 5-8 years but came to understand a few key points. These key points we will plan to list on our website and update the information as new data is gathered.

Point 1: The decision to build the new William Attea Middle School was studied and supported by the last several Boards of Education and community. Growth of over 580 students from 1993 to 2003 averaged some 50-60 students per year – this equates to 2 new class sections per year. Continued growth remains as indicated by all resources (Census, NIPC, Glenview Census). Added growth will continue through this decade fueled by the Glen development and other new housing properties.

Point 2: Prior to Attea opening in fall of 2003 our last new school was built in 1960. Mobile classrooms have been necessary over the past 10 years at Glen Grove, Hoffman, Springman and Pleasant Ridge Schools.

In the mid 1990’s the Board authorized additions and renovations to the Intermediate Schools to bring these buildings up to the same capacity as the primary schools. This only stayed in step with increasing enrollment.

The Board also made a commitment to the Fine Arts Program creating dedicated classrooms for Art and Music along with Learning Centers across the district (1995-1999). In 2002 and 2003 Springman Middle School housed over 900 students with mobile classrooms used for instruction, 4 lunch periods were needed and new teachers had to be added. The need for a new 2nd Middle School was decided in 2000 to relieve overcrowding district wide.

Point 3: With the opening of Attea Middle School in fall of 2003 the Primary Schools gained available space with the movement of 3rd grade to the Intermediate and the Middle Schools becoming 6-8 grade levels. However, we have continued student growth (50 -70 students per year). The parents are asking for lower class size which then burdens the district with additional teaching/support staff and facility needs. More students with specialized needs are also enrolling on a yearly basis which demands more support space and other infrastructure.

The School Board has developed interest in Pre-K /early intervention programs along with partnering programs in before/after school childcare. There are more and more families with both parents working.

Point 4: Based on this 10 year trend of increased enrollment, changes in educational programs (Jr., High to Middle School Model) and the onset of the Glen Development, the Board of Education has stayed just ahead of the enrollment housing crunch. During the mid 1990’s the Board added classroom space to stay in step with additional enrollment and education program needs. In the year 1999-2000 the Board again recognized the need for additional space primarily due to the Glen Development and authorized the building of Attea Middle School along with shifting grades to better accommodate this growth. This good planning by the Board on the community’s behalf, stayed in step with enrollment and now offers some vacant classrooms at the primary schools.

The Board took advantage of a land transfer on the Glen receiving 18 acres of prime property on the Glen through a 20 year lease agreement with the Village of Glenview at “No Cost” (a savings of 8-9 million dollars in land purchase).

The Board took advantage of an excellent bidding time period at which time the overall construction industry was looking for work. (Attea School Construction 2000-2002)

In summary, the Facilities Committee feels the Board of Education is to be commended for its tireless efforts in studying the growth over the past ten years and its implications. The Board acted on the information and recommendations of the Facilities Committee in working pro-actively towards good facility solutions avoiding expensive crises reaction with education always being the main focus.

FACILITIES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION 2004-05

After careful consideration and study the Facilities Committee is recommending the following for Board consideration.

• The primary school facilities have adequate space for 2004-2005

• The Intermediate school facilities being at capacity with mobile classrooms at (2) buildings have adequate space for 2004-05. The intermediate populations will need to be monitored closely.

• The middle school facilities have adequate space for 2004-05.

• Based on the Glen projections, Westbrook/Glen Grove cluster will be over capacity by 2006-07. The Facilities Committee will continue to monitor this trend looking at possibilities such as boundary changes, classroom additions or new school facility study.

• The Board should continue to maintain its facilities in the high standard it has over the past 10 years utilizing available funds, grants and/or bonds when appropriate.

• Review of cluster and middle school boundaries continue to show good distribution of students with local neighborhoods maintained for 2004-05.

Report Provided January 26, 2004

FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEMBERS
2003-04

Kate Gazda – Parent

Kurt Kloecker – Parent

George Armbruster – Parent /Consultant

Valerie Hausman – Teacher

Nancy Morell – Parent/Support Staff

Mary Fisk – Teacher

Tony Schwinghamer – Teacher /GEA President

Mark Walther – Principal

Rosemary Lorenzo – Principal

Dot Weber – Ex Officio

Marilyn Miller – Ex Officio

John O’Connor – Chairperson

Lynda Tewksbury – Recording Secretary