New home coming for West Aurora District 129 childhood center, SUCCESS Academy
The final phase of a massive building campaign is underway in West Aurora District 129, as the district turns a former medical clinic into a new home for its early childhood development program.
The school board Monday approved borrowing up to $18 million, by issuing general obligation bonds, to pay for the work.
Besides the early childhood program, the former Dreyer Medical Clinic at 1870 W. Galena Blvd. will house the district's Transitions Program for special education students 18 to 22, and the SUCCESS Academy.
On the same campus it will build the 25,000-square-foot Weisner Career Center, which will offer dual-credit programs in advanced manufacturing, information technology and health care occupations.
Demolition of much of the medical clinic interior is expected to be finished by the end of September, according to the district. It will seek bids for construction in October, hopes to start the work in January and be completed by November 2018.
The work includes staining the yellowish brick on the former Dreyer building to red, to resemble the red brick of the nearby administration building and the new career center.
The SUCCESS Academy, now run at the Blackhawk campus, is for middle school and high school students at risk of failing due to social, emotional and behavioral issues. SUCCESS stands for Students Understanding that Correct Choices Enable Scholastic Success.
The Todd Early Childhood Center is in a former elementary school at 100 Oak Ave.
The plan can be found as part of the agenda for the Aug. 21 meeting at sd129.org.
Voters in April 2015 approved borrowing $84 million for work to remodel and expand the district's buildings, and to build a replacement Hill Elementary School, which opened last week.