Woodland to be open Monday after electrical problem

Students will be back at Barrington Area Unit District 220's Woodland Early Learning Center Monday, after an electrical problem forced the closing of the school this week.

Barrington Area Unit District 220 Superintendent Tom Leonard said that early Thursday morning, a minor electrical problem caused a shutdown of the heating system and resulted in some smoke accumulating inside the Carpentersville school.

The problem started as students were beginning to arrive for school, so Leonard said parents who drove their kids were advised of the situation and many just went home.

The students who came by bus were taken to nearby by Sunny Hill Elementary School until the situation could be resolved.

The Carpentersville Fire Department arrived on the scene and determined that there was no threat of fire and no issues with air quality.

No children were in danger at any time, Leonard said.

To make the necessary electrical repairs, though, the heating system needed to remain off for several hours, he said.

With than in mind, Leonard said the decision was made to close the school for the day and send students home.

By Thursday afternoon, Leonard said everything was fixed and the building was back running as normal.

Friday happened to be a day off for students in District 220, though Leonard said the school would otherwise have been open.

The electrical problem, Leonard said does serve as another reminder for the issues facing Woodland.

"It's an old building and things in old buildings break down easier than in new buildings," Leonard said.

For the past several years, the district has been trying to find a new home for the early learning center, which serves identifiably at-risk 3- to 5-year-olds.

Officials have said Woodland does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, has poor ventilation, no air-conditioning, bathrooms that are not sized for preschoolers and, as was evident this week, electrical problems.

Earlier this year, voters turned down the district's bid to spend $15.9 million to acquire and renovate the former Health World children's museum in Barrington for the state-mandated early childhood program.

School board President Brian Battle reiterated during this week's school board meeting that finding a new home for the program remains one of the district's top priorities.