District 300 plans public meetings on potential boundary changes

Community Unit District 300 officials are considering changing attendance boundaries that would affect several Carpentersville schools.

District 300 moved some administrative employees out of Carpentersville Middle School in January into the new district headquarters in Algonquin. Officials propose converting those former offices and several old classrooms at Carpentersville Middle School into new classrooms to accommodate sixth-graders from Lakewood School.

"Anywhere from seven to 10 classrooms will be created in this space," Superintendent Fred Heid said.

Carpentersville Middle School is the only middle school in the district that does not house sixth- through eighth-graders, while Lakewood houses only fifth- and sixth-graders. This move also would free up space at several elementary schools affected by the addition of full-day kindergarten this school year, Heid said.

District architects are figuring out the costs of renovating Carpentersville Middle School.

"The architects will talk with administrators, teachers and students and come up with some proposals ... then we will bring it back to the board to address," Heid said.

Three public meetings are scheduled starting next week to present options for boundary changes.

Option No. 1:

• Parkview, Meadowdale, Golfview, Perry and Lakewood become prekindergarten through fifth-grade schools.

• Carpentersville Middle School becomes a sixth- through eighth-grade building, taking in sixth-graders from Lakewood.

• Lakewood becomes a prekindergarten through fifth-grade school.

•Parkview, Meadowdale, Golfview and Perry add the fifth-graders who no longer attend Lakewood.

Option No. 2:

• Meadowdale becomes a prekindergarten and kindergarten building, accepting all kindergarten students now attending Parkview, Golfview and Perry elementary schools.

• Carpentersville Middle School becomes a sixth- through eighth-grade building, taking in sixth-graders from Lakewood.

• Lakewood becomes a first- through fifth-grade school.

• Parkview, Meadowdale, Golfview and Perry add the fifth-graders who no longer attend Lakewood.

"Both options try and create the least negative impact on existing students and families," Heid said. "We tried to make sure that we maintained the integrity of neighborhoods."

Heid said the way the schools currently are structured, students must go through five different buildings from prekindergarten through high school.

"When students have to go with that many transitions, it's difficult to establish relationships," Heid said.

Parents and community members can attend any of the following town-hall meetings in Carpentersville: 6 p.m. Wednesday at Parkview Elementary, 122 Carpenter Blvd.; Sept. 24 at Golfview Elementary, 124 Golfview Lane; and Sept. 30 at Lakewood School, 1651 Ravine Lane. Translation services will be provided.