Dear District 41 Family,
I am writing with important news that affects our children’s education, the quality of our community, and our pocketbooks. My purpose here is to introduce the facts, invite you to learn more and direct you to resources to help you do so.

On Monday, Feb.5, the Board of Education voted to go to referendum on April 17. District 41 will ask the community to approve a $40 million bond referendum to fund expansions and renovations to our schools. In compliance with state regulations, the only way that a school district can fund a project of this magnitude is through a bond referendum. This referendum is for the sale of bonds for the purpose of constructing, renovating and equipping facilities; these funds cannot be used for salaries or other operational costs. Similar to a mortgage, the bonds will be repaid over time on a schedule that ends in 2025.

Our buildings were enlarged in 1998, and we are using all of that space and more. A school’s worth of children (nearly 600) is housed in 26 mobile classrooms; projections show slow and steady growth through 2013. Mobile classrooms have allowed us to keep class sizes within acceptable ranges, although class sizes are expected to grow. But mobiles have encroached on play areas, posed logistical challenges and eroded instructional time as students go in and out for services. There is stress on our programs and infrastructure as well. We are running out of space to schedule specialized classes such as gym and music, some of our libraries house cubicles and some services are delivered in halls and other spaces that were never intended for instructional or program use.

This referendum request grew out of facilities planning that began in 2003 and involved many staff and community members. Recently, the Boundary Advisory Committee brought increased urgency to this issue, asking the Board of Education to make a facility solution a top priority. After much deliberation, the Board expressed confidence that the time is right to move forward to meet the demonstrated need. With construction prices rising, to delay is costly and would perpetuate enrollment challenges. The Board and administration believe the proposal is educationally sound, developmentally healthy and financially prudent.

Whether or not to improve our facilities is the community’s decision; the district’s job is to provide the information you need to make an informed decision about what is best for children. I encourage you to visit www.d41.org, where we will be posting information, including a schedule of upcoming informational meetings, once those dates are set. More information will be provided through the local media, mailings and public meetings. If you have comments or questions, please email them to referendum@d41.org

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Click here for an overview of the referendum. Finally, I thank you in advance for your efforts in becoming informed on this important community issue.

Sincerely,