Kaneland school board continues to weigh options for master facilities plan for April ballot referendum

The Kaneland District 302 School Board discussed two potential options for its master facilities plan – one of which could cost almost $70 million – at its Oct. 12 board meeting.

The board discussed the options for nearly three hours ahead of its final decision, which it will make at the Oct. 24 meeting.

“That’s what tonight was designed for, to ask those questions and work through some of these details,” Superintendent Todd Leden said.

Community outreach data showed the public would support a referendum just under $70 million.

Option 1, which would cost $67.9 million, would modernize and reorganize school facilities and include improvements to athletic fields and improve aging infrastructure. Documents showed the option also would make improvements to the Fox Valley Career Center and IgKnight Personalized Learning Academy totaling $18.1 million.

Option 2, which totals $54.8 million, would make the same changes to school facilities but leave out improvements to the Fox Valley Career Center and IgKnight Personalized Learning Academy. The Fox Valley Career Center draws students from several surrounding school districts.

An additional $5 million was included in Option 2 to relocate the high school wood shop and other displaced areas, according to documents.

“I will have a very hard time supporting any option that includes the Fox Valley Career Center because of the unique way it’s funded,” school board President Theresa Witt said. “And what I see as an unfair distribution of the costs among those districts.”

Leden said the Fox Valley Career Center and IgKnight Personalized Learning Academy both are currently located in the former middle school building on the high school campus.

Both options would see a reorganization of the high school campus to allow for a safer traffic flow, as well as the construction of an entirely new entrance, according to documents.

The options received a ranking based on how necessary those surveyed felt the proposed improvements are for the district.

If the board chooses to adopt either option, the referendum will appear on the April 4 ballot.

Also at the meeting, the board recognized recent art award winners.

“During COVID we did have a two-year hiatus, so we did have students who were doing great work and were being recognized for their work, but unfortunately during those two years, we weren’t able to do it in a public manner,” Leden said. “It’s great to be back, and it’s really great to have this honor and this tradition as a school district, who as a district, values arts [and] values our students.”

First-place winners are Elliana Bergmann, Ellie Dakan, Dasha Cesario, Luna Nino, Eliana Martz and Olivia Uplegger. Leden said their artwork will be framed and displayed in the Milnamow Administrative Center for two years before being returned to their student’s respective campus for permanent display.