Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Community group strategizes for a meeting with school officials.
Members of Education First gathered in Highland Park last week to discuss their strategy for a meeting with District 113 school officials in light of the failed April 5 bond referendum. “What we want to do is present them with our goals,” said Pete Koukos, chairman of the community group and Highland Park resident. Education First thinks the necessary improvements at Deerfield and Highland Park high schools can be done for less than the $133 million the referendum called for spending. “It is up to us at this point to bring to them what we think is a reasonable, rational approach to solving their needs and meeting those needs,” said Koukos. Koukos said he spoke with Superintendent George Fornero last Monday and both men agreed to the …
42.19228
-87.801326
Highland Park High School
433 Vine Ave, Highland Park, IL
/articles/education-first-district-113-to-re-evaluate-rehab-plan
289199
/locations/4210612
42.188859
-87.814774
Township High School Dist 113
1040 Park Ave W, Highland Park, IL
/articles/education-first-district-113-to-re-evaluate-rehab-plan
289580
/locations/4210613
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
District 113 votes yes to put renovation plan on April ballot.
The District 113 School Board voted unanimously in favor of adding a $133 million referendum to the April 5 ballot. The referendum, if approved by voters, will keep Deerfield and Highland Park taxpayer’s tax rate the same for the next 20 years and will finance roughly half of the original $168 million plan proposed by architectural firm Wight and Company via bond issue. In order to be sensitive to taxpayers’ pocketbooks, the resolution also included an abatement that would return any excess funds allocated for the projects to Deerfield and Highland Park residents. The new plan will be broken down into three components, each concentrating on different aspects of the high schools’ needs. If approved by voters in April, the improvements are …
Highland Park High School student says the school needs better ventilation, not added space.
The renovation of District 113's high schools has been under discussion for months. On Tuesday, the District 113 School Board will have a special meeting to vote on whether to put the renovation to referendum. Unfortunately, the proposed renovation addresses both wants and needs in our schools when it should only be focused on needs. A month ago, the school board announced its $168 million – recently lowered to $133 million– planned renovation for Deerfield and Highland Park High School(HPHS). The Wight and Company architectural firm and a panel of community members proposed the referendum that would go toward capital improvements at the schools. The renovation is necessary for safety issues and for ensuring proper learning conditions. …
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
School board to vote Monday on $35 million reduction to high school master plan.
Originally, the District 113 School Board intended to accept or reject a $168 million plan for renovation projects to Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools Monday evening. After comments from members of the community and much deliberation on the part of the school board, that decision has been deferred to a special meeting of the school board next week. The main cause for the deferral was never stated at Monday’s meeting, but became apparent when the board discussed and presented an entirely new option for the proposed referendum on the April ballot — dropping the cost of the high school master plan to $133 million. Lessening the cost of the project and ultimate burden on taxpayers by $35 million would mean only completing about half of…
42.19228
-87.801326
Highland Park High School
433 Vine Ave, Highland Park, IL
/articles/district-113-lowers-renovation-estimate-to-133-million
289199
/locations/3043834
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The School Board of District 113 got its first chance to discuss the $168 million project Monday night.
- SCHOOLS
- A.M. Cole
-
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The District 113 School Board has a big decision to make. On Monday, Superintendent George Fornero presented the board with the proposal for a new master plan for Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools that would fix infrastructure problems, demolish old buildings and install technology support systems for a different kind of learning. If the plans are completed in their entirety, they would cost Deerfield and Highland Park residents $168 million over the course of the next 20-plus years. Before the plan can be put to referendum for April's election, the board needs to approve it first. Planning for the future Representatives from architectural firm Wight and Company, the District's financial planning liaison from PMA Securities and…
42.19228
-87.801326
Highland Park High School
433 Vine Ave, Highland Park, IL
/articles/district-113-board-weighs-in-on-renovation-proposal
289199
/locations/2752987
David Greenberg
6:45 am on Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The infrastructure is adequate. Some minor issues are needed, all of which should have been planned for and had reserves set aside ahead of time. Except for fire sprinklers in some areas (which only have to be done if major repairs are occurring) what "safety" issues are you referring to? I'm not opposed to technology per se - but I reviewed the report you referred to from the US Dept of Ed - it'… more ›