Online petition supports new St. Charles middle school

When St. Charles school board members meet next week, they'll see the largest show of support yet to build a new middle school - thanks to an online petition requesting an April referendum.

District 303 parent Susan Keldani said she created the petition following the most recent school board meeting, during which board members ignored most of what parents had to say. At that meeting, the board indicated preference for pushing forward with a $50 million to $55 million plan to upgrade Wredling Middle School, close Haines Middle School and retrofit Thompson Middle School to accommodate more students. The plan requires the district to borrow at least $15 million.

Several parents, including Keldani, expressed concerns about getting a middle school that wouldn't be as good as an all-new school and students enduring two years of construction chaos.

"The board responds to no one," Keldani said. "Everyone who wrote a letter? No response. If they are going to base their opinion on 400 phone calls, well, here's 200 people that differ."

The 400 phone calls represented the sample size of a survey school board members consistently refer to as evidence that no referendum of any kind will win voter approval right now. That includes a referendum asking for the money the district needs to borrow for the current middle school project. Some parents have promised to circulate a legal petition forcing the district to get voter approval to borrow the money.

Keldani hopes it doesn't come to that. In three days, her online petition garnered nearly 200 signatures from other local parents.

"Retrofitting an old school is backward thinking," wrote Monica Srocki on the petition. "We need to be forward thinking to keep the strong reputation our community has as a desirable place to raise and educate our children. Give us the option for a new middle school!"

Amy Darby called for long-term solutions that will bring equal education experiences to students across the district.

"Providing the option of a new middle school is a long term fiscal option that helps address shortcomings and keep it comparable to the quality of surrounding school districts."

Keldani plans to show the results of the online petition to school board members when they meet Monday night. If possible, she will bring as many people who signed the online petition to the meeting in a display of people who want the option to vote for a new middle school.