When Downers Grove School District 58 board members toured Kingsley Elementary Jan. 19 as part of their monthly visits to district schools, they had some company.

About 20 parents from the district joined the board members on their walkthrough of the school, one of the three in the district that will receive a new roof after board members approved the sale of life safety bonds Jan. 11.

This was just a silent show of solidarity to the fact that we need a new roof, said Kerry Quirin, who organized the parents attendance on the walkthrough, a rarity for these regular board visits. We felt this was our chance to walk the talk.

Quirin has been a regular proponent for repairing the roofs and has spoken at several board meetings.

The topic of roof replacement has been at issue for over two years. District 58 board member Scott OConnell has argued against using the life-safety bonds to fund the repairs, and has not indicated whether he will continue to oppose the bond sale despite its approval. OConnell abstained from voting on the issue, and has previously threatened litigation in order to stall the process.

There is currently one leak at Kingsley with two buckets collecting the water at the schools main entrance. The remainder of the leaks, according to principal Chuck Purdom, have been patched by either school maintenance or a contractor.

Purdom told parents and board members that the school has talked with roofing contractors, and that work will have to begin after the ice melts. He said it is likely work would be finished this summer.