About a year and a half after breaking ground on renovations at school buildings, officials at Elmwood Park School District 401 kicked off open houses in October to showcase recent upgrades and enhancements.
SD401 officials estimate that 30 to 100 students, staff and community members attended each open house held recently, with events at Elmwood and John Mills elementary schools, and at Elmwood Park High School.
“We have so many new spaces where students can learn in all three buildings,” SD401 spokesman Sam Britten told Pioneer Press in an email.
show off capital improvements recently made to the school located in Elmwood Park.
show off capital improvements recently made to the school located in Elmwood Park.
Both elementary schools got major upgrades, including plumbing and electrical, as well as additions, which brought learning hubs, two classrooms each and new restrooms for kindergarten classes.
The schools also got safety upgrades, and Elmwood school had three breakout rooms installed and a courtyard. John Mills added a media center, a breakout room and an outdoor playground for pre-K. Classrooms, hallways, offices and bathrooms were all remodeled and both buildings’ exterior facades updated, officials explained.
The renovations were made possible by a successful $55 million bond referendum voters in the school district approved in 2020. The money was to make improvements and upgrades at the two elementary schools. To date, Elmwood’s renovations cost $21 million and $24 million for John Mills, according to district officials.
“Both elementary schools have a new learning hub with custom breakout rooms where teachers can sit down and work with students in a one-on-one setting. The high school also has brand-new breakout rooms in the library,” Britten explained.
At Elmwood Park High School, the only high school in the district, the second-floor library was converted into “a state-of-the-art learning area” with new classrooms, multiple offices and an elevator for easier access, officials said. The high school athletic hallways were also renovated, complete with trophy cases.
So far, renovations at EPHS have totaled $7 million, which was funded using both district and federal grant funds.
Britten said open house attendees mostly remarked on how different everything looked.
“The hallways and classrooms at Elmwood and John Mills are incredibly vibrant and inviting,” he said. “They’re very welcoming and students feel very encouraged to learn.”
With these updates, the majority of the renovations are complete. Remaining projects are slated to be finished by the end of the calendar year for the high school and the end of summer 2024 for the elementary schools.
“We know our students will be able to grow and thrive in these spaces for years to come,” SD401 Superintendent Leah Gauthier previously said in a construction project update.
Christine Won is a freelancer.
![The Niles Police Department received complaints of possible drug activity at a residence in the 8600 block of North Ozark Avenue. Niles Police Department investigators initiated an investigation into the residence that culminated in the execution of a search warrant on 4/23/2024. During a search of the residence, NPD detectives and investigators discovered a cannabis grow operation in the garage and recovered approximately 40 pounds of raw cannabis and the supplies used to grow it. An adult male and female were taken into custody at the scene. The female was later released without criminal charges. The male suspect was charged […]](https://www.chicagotribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ppn-l-nhs-cannabis-grow-ozark-01-rotated.jpg?w=467 "The Niles Police Department received complaints of possible drug activity at a residence in the 8600 block of North Ozark Avenue. Niles Police Department investigators initiated an investigation into the residence that culminated in the execution of a search warrant on 4/23/2024. During a search of the residence, NPD detectives and investigators discovered a cannabis grow operation in the garage and recovered approximately 40 pounds of raw cannabis and the supplies used to grow it. An adult male and female were taken into custody at the scene. The female was later released without criminal charges. The male suspect was charged […]")