Joliet Public Schools District 86 will host open houses for Gompers and Hufford Junior Highs on Saturday as the district plans to transition the schools into their new buildings.

The open houses will run concurrently from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday and will serve as a chance for former and current students, parents, staff and community members to tour the schools.

The current Hufford, 1125 N. Larkin Ave., and Gompers, 1501 Copperfield Ave., buildings were both constructed in the 1950s and will close permanently after the end of the school year in June.

The new facilities will be fully furnished and ready to open their doors for the start of the 2026-27 school year in August.

Construction on both schools broke ground in Sept. 2024 and has run entirely on schedule.

Gompers students have already had access to their new gymnasium for a whole school year, as it was completed first to make room for the new academic wing.

The closure of the old buildings will allow for their demolition during the coming school year and the subsequent reconstruction of parking lots and athletic facilities in their places.

During the open house events, members of the Joliet Grade Schools Foundation of Educational Excellence will be on hand selling t-shirts and raffle tickets to raise funds for classroom grants and student scholarships.

Both school projects were funded by a $99.5 million bond issue referendum passed in April 2023.

Visitors are asked to enter the schools through their main entrances during the events as they come to view the new facilities and say goodbye to the old ones.