March 21, 2025
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Bourbonnais elementary to upgrade BUGC gym floor

Revenue from electronic scoreboard to pay for renovations

By Stephanie Markham
The Bourbonnais Upper Grade Center's LED video display board, installed in the summer of 2023, is bringing in advertising revenue for the district, some of which will go toward floor renovations in the school's gym.

The Bourbonnais Upper Grade Center's LED video display board, installed in the summer of 2023, is bringing in advertising revenue for the district, some of which will go toward floor renovations in the school's gym. (Photo Provided by Bourbonnais Elementary School District 53)

Bourbonnais Elementary School District will be using advertising revenue from an electronic scoreboard in Bourbonnais Upper Grade Center to upgrade the school’s gymnasium floor.

Athletic Director Andy Burton gave an update Tuesday to the Bourbonnais School Board regarding planned renovations to BUGC’s gym floor.

The project’s entire cost, about $25,700, will be covered using advertising revenue from the electronic billboard in the BUGC gym, as well as facilities rental income, Burton said.

The indoor LED video display scoreboard was purchased in February 2023 for $60,000 from Varsity Scoreboards, and it was installed that summer.

After $35,000 for the scoreboard was covered by the school district’s budget, the athletic department was able to pay back the cost using ad revenue within 10 months.

The revenue from the scoreboard goes into the district’s athletics/student activity account.

Burton noted that when hosting a recent sectional championship game in the BUGC gym, he heard visiting students and parents remark about the quality of the school’s facilities.

Some even were overheard saying, “This is the school with the really big TV.”

“BUGC is getting a reputation, not just with our local schools,” he said.

Burton said the plans for BUGC’s gym floor includes repainting and refinishing, featuring light gray coloring and a Tiger paw print in the center.

It will also include lines for a practice basketball court, which will be covered by the bleachers during games, and two practice volleyball courts.

The features will open up more possibilities to host summer sports programs and other competitions.

“Doing this is going to just add more revenue for the athletics/student activity account,” Burton said.

The project is slated to begin the first week of June and take about a month to complete, he said.

The gym’s floor is to be re-waxed this summer as well, which will be done in conjunction with the painting updates.

School fee increase

Also on Tuesday, the Bourbonnais School Board approved an increase in student fees for the 2025-26 school year.

Fees will increase by $10, up to $130 per year for kindergarten through third grade and $160 per year for fourth through eighth grade.

Dennis Crawford, chief school business official, said the fee increase will take effect July 1.

Families who register early for the upcoming school year will still be able to pay the current, lower rate.

Online registration will begin next month, Crawford said.