May Whitney students will head back Wednesday

Time to get pencils sharpened, backpacks, lunchboxes, and classroom supplies ready as May Whitney Elementary School students head back to class Wednesday.

The start of the academic year for May Whitney was delayed nine days after flooding, plus the presence of asbestos and mold forced the closing of the Lake Zurich school at 120 Church St. Classes began on schedule Aug. 22 for the district's other eight schools.

May Whitney's roughly 436 students and 40 staff members will set up shop in the Annex at 100 Church St.

The former middle school had been vacant for 18 months since Gavin Elementary District 37 briefly leased the building for the 2005-06 school year.

Lake Zurich Unit District 95 officials initially hoped classes would start Tuesday but allowed for a delay until Sept. 10. Earlier this week, officials said, necessary equipment wasn't fully moved into the building.

"There were many overwhelming challenges to overcome with this last-minute relocation," Superintendent Brian Knutson said.

The Regional Office of Education gave its sanction Friday allowing the Annex to serve as May Whitney's new home for the school year. Wednesday will be the first full day of classes for first- through fifth-graders, with a 45-minute orientation for kindergartners.

Andrea Natsis of Hawthorn Woods said this is the moment her 7-year-old twin sons have been waiting for.

"That was a lot sooner than I thought it was going to be," she said. "I thought the 10th was a stretch. I'm ready for my kids to go to school. This is the first year they are being split up so they were extra excited."

District staff, May Whitney teachers, parents and community volunteers worked tirelessly to get the Annex ready for occupancy. Natsis was among those who helped teachers set up classrooms and spruce up the building.

"If there were no volunteers, no parents helping out, that school would never have been ready," she said.

District officials acknowledged the contributions.

"I think we can be proud of the spirit that our entire community showed in helping to pull together in a time of need," said school board president Kathy Brown, whose two sons will attend first and fourth grade at the Annex.