Classroom redesign part of Dist. 214 capital projects plan
The Northwest Suburban High School District 214 school board on Thursday approved its capital improvement plan for the 2014-15 school year, including about $7.3 million worth of renovations and upgrades.
The projects include maintenance such as roof replacements and parking lot repaving, as well as projects including building a wood shop at Forest View Administrative Center for the district’s alternative programs and reconfiguring eight classrooms at Buffalo Grove High School to build “the classroom of tomorrow.”
“We’re going to design the classroom of the future,” said Ted Birren, the district’s director of operations. “We want to try to figure out what the classroom of tomorrow will look like, with room for collaboration and differentiated learning.”
The project, which could include more open space and room for students to work in groups or for teachers to work in teams, will include eight classrooms in the math department at Buffalo Grove. It could be expanded to other parts of the school and district if it is successful.
The design process is under way with input from teachers in the math department, Birren said, and the entire project is expected to cost around $1.8 million.
The wood shop, which will be used by the Forest View Alternative School, Vanguard and the Newcomer Center, is expected to cost around $88,000, according to district documents.
It will bring a hands-on learning experience to the students, Birren said. The other six high schools in the district already have wood shops.
The district may also look for a certification program to advance the skills of students participating in the class, he said.
Roofing projects will cost the district about $2.6 million, according to the documents. Total estimated cost of the projects, including design and engineering fees is projected to be $7,368,887
Work will start the day after school ends in June 2014 and officials said all projects should be completed by all the time school starts next fall.