Kaneland school board pushes back discussion about district’s master facility plan

The Kaneland District 302 School Board pushed back a discussion about the community engagement process for its master facilities plan because of a last-minute member absence at Monday night’s meeting.

The master facilities plan includes improvement projects for district facilities totaling $122.3 million, according to meeting documents. Projects include modernized classrooms and a new front entrance for Kaneland High School.

The district will have to wait a while longer before construction begins. The school board previously nixed the plan to put a referendum on the Nov. 8 ballot, but could consider adding it to the April 2023 ballot.

At the board’s Aug. 8 meeting, consulting firm EOSulivan suggested the district lower the project’s total cost and instead choose a final plan in an amount below $70 million after working with the district on a community engagement process earlier this year.

The consulting firm recommended at that August meeting that the district consider improving athletic facilities, the Fox Valley Career Center and infrastructure, as well as modernize learning environments.

Discussion about the facilities plan will continue at a later date, as well as plans for repurposing the former middle school building.

Superintendent Todd Leden said a new name for Kaneland-Meredith Middle School will be discussed at the next board meeting.

“It’s currently not being used as a middle school,” he said of the building, which is located on Kaneland High School’s campus in Maple Park.

In other news, the district announced it is accepting nominations for the Kaneland Hall of Fame.

Leden said the district has multiple events planned for the Hall of Fame’s 25-year anniversary.

“At our Sept. 30 football game we’re trying to reach out to all of our inductees and recognize them during games,” he said. “We also have a winter event which is going to be at a basketball game. We’re going to have another event in the spring to recognize our inductees at that time. So those inductees that are coming from near or far, they can hopefully plan to attend one of those three [events].”

Nominations for the Hall of Fame can be made online through the board’s website until Nov. 30.

Leden said inductees for this year will be considered in December.