Construction News & Updates

In 2022, the community overwhelmingly approved District 15’s Moving 15 Forward referendum to address high-priority educational needs and school facility upgrades. The renovations and building additions have started at all 20 schools and include updating learning spaces, improving student transitions, implementing Full-Day Kindergarten, and transitioning junior highs to adolescent-centered middle schools for the 2024-2025 school year.

Construction includes:

• Phase 1: Projects began in the Spring of 2023 and projects include:

  • Thomas Jefferson Elementary School will become a middle school. In order to accomplish this, the following additions and renovations are in progress:

    • New gymnasium, cafeteria, and kitchen

    • 3 science classroom additions, 2 STEM classrooms, 2 art classrooms, and 2 music room renovations

  • Plum Grove Junior High School will also become a middle school. In order to accomplish this, the following additions and renovations are in progress:

    • 18 classroom addition including science rooms

    • Cafeteria renovations

  • Walter R. Sundling Junior High School will also become a middle school. In order to accomplish this, the following additions and renovations are in progress:

    • New auxiliary gymnasium, cafeteria, and kitchen addition

    • Library renovation/move and classroom renovations at old library location

• Phase 2: began in the Fall of 2023 - elementary school projects include:

  • Jane Addams - 5 kindergarten classroom additions

  • Winston Campus - new multi-purpose room and kitchen to accommodate the Dual Language wing

  • Frank C. Whiteley - 2 story, total of 6 classroom additions 

  • Lincoln - 6 classrooms in 2 separate additions and some interior renovations including the library

  • Pleasant Hill - 4 classroom addition

• Phase 3: started in the Winter of 2024 - elementary school projects include:

  • Gray M. Sanborn - 4 classrooms in 2 separate additions

  • Kimball Hill - 4 classroom addition

  • Willow Bend - 2 kindergarten classroom addition

  • Hunting Ridge - 5 classroom addition and interior renovations

Other significant improvements in the works include:

• Carl Sandburg will also become a middle school. Improvements include:

  • Renovation of 2 classrooms for 6th grade science and STEM

  • New flooring in the hallways and multi-purpose room

  • Parking lot and concrete improvements completed

  • Renovated art room

  • Lockers refreshed

• The District installed interior and exterior security cameras.

• Playground section upgrades at Whiteley, Hunting Ridge, Lincoln, Jane Addams, Winston Campus Dual, Virginia Lake, Central Road, and a new ADA playground at Gray M. Sanborn. 

• Parking lot and asphalt improvements will occur at Central Road, Lincoln, Hunting Ridge, and Gray M. Sanborn with similar work recently completed at Pleasant Hill, Virginia Lake, and Kimball Hill.

• With the completion of construction in the Summer of 2024, every school library will be renovated! The final libraries being completed include Thomas Jefferson, Pleasant Hill, Lincoln,  Jane Addams, Walter R. Sundling, and Frank C. Whiteley.

• LED lighting was installed at Hunting Ridge, Marion Jordan, Lincoln, Central Road, Willow Bend, Lake Louise, Gray M. Sanborn, Stuart R. Paddock, Kimball Hill, and Winston Campus.

• Hallway flooring and walk-off carpeting have been replaced at Lake Louise, Jane Addams, Marion Jordan, Central Road, Virginia Lake, and Carl Sandburg.

• Main office renovations at: Thomas Jefferson, Winston Campus, Lake Louise, Pleasant Hill, Stuart R. Paddock, Walter R. Sundling, Frank C. Whiteley, and Virginia Lake.

• New furniture will be purchased for new Kindergarten classrooms, new general classrooms, and Special Ed classrooms. 

• Cafeteria tables upgrades at Conyers Learning Academy, Winston Campus, Carl Sandburg, Walter Sundling, Thomas Jefferson, Gray M. Sandborn, Lincoln School, Willow Bend, and a partial at Plum Grove.

• New school signs with the District logo at all schools.

As you can see, we’ve been hard at work and couldn’t be more excited about all the ways in which we are improving teaching and learning spaces for our staff and students! As a reminder, due to construction, the first day of school is on Thursday, September 5! We cannot wait for staff, students, and the community to see our new spaces. We are District 15 and YOU BELONG HERE. 

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• Thomas Jefferson
• Walter R. Sundling
• Plum Grove
• Pleasant Hill
• Lincoln
• Jane Addams
• Winston Campus

The Moving 15 Forward team provided a comprehensive update surrounding all of the work completed since passing the referendum in 2022 and our plan to keep all aspects of our work moving through the remainder of the school year until school opens on September 5, 2024!

Dr. Heinz shared that the work and presentation continue to focus around our three criritcal gears:

1. Repair & Restore Facilities
2. Update Learning Spaces
3. Improve Student Transitions

The comprehensive presentation included:

• An update, on work completed and work yet to come, as it relates to our 4 phase construction plan led by representatives from Nicholas and Associates as well as Architects from both ARCON and Wold;

• A status report on work in process or completed within our 5-Year Master Facility Plan;

• A review of projected enrollment by school and review of boundaries by feeder patterns;

• Sharing placement of special education and EL programs across our district;

• An overview and recommendation from FDK and Middle School Committees;

• School tiers and busing capacity update;

• Transition Planning: January Institute Days and Beyond;

• Plans for welcoming students and staff to their new schools;

• Staffing, Moves, and Overall Logistics;

• Kindergarten Kick-Off night on February 15 at all elementary schools;

• Registration plans for the 2024-2025 school year (registration opens on January 30!); and

• A review and discussion of the 2025-26 Calendar.

The presentation is full of exciting information so we hope you take time to view the full presentation below:

Summer 2023 construction updates 

• Phase 1 construction was in full swing at Thomas Jefferson, Plum Grove Junior High, and Walter R. Sundling from spring break throughout the summer. 

• An additional five libraries have been completed at Central Road, Conyers Learning Academy, Kimball Hill, Hunting Ridge, and Marion Jordan. Work included new carpeting, lighting, fresh paint, flexible furniture, and in a few libraries, the removal of outdated computer labs to increase space within libraries. 

• A number of paving projects took place this summer – Virginia Lake’s new bus lane, Pleasant Hill’s front lot on Illinois, and Kimball Hill’s south lot were paved.

• The Gymnasium and Multi-Purpose Room lighting at Pleasant Hill, Carl Sandburg Junior High, and Hunting Ridge were updated. 

• Willow Bend’s art room was enclosed.

• Lighting and new ceiling tiles were installed at Gray M. Sanborn and Willow Bend.

• Carl Sandburg Junior High’s hallway flooring and lighting were completed. Work on repairing their track is also underway. 

• All schools received new 360 exterior cameras as well as some additional cameras in shared spaces within the school.

At the August 8, 2023 Board of Education meeting, District 15 held a Public Hearing concerning the intent of the Board of Education to sell not to exceed $40,000,000 Working Cash Fund Bonds for the purpose of increasing the District's Working Cash Fund and not to exceed $40,000,000 General Obligation School Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source) for the purpose of altering, repairing and equipping school buildings and facilities, constructing building additions and improving school sites.