The time is now for Kaneland schools

The Kaneland building referendum is so necessary, and is the product of years of careful planning and analysis.

The proposed construction of the Harter Road Middle School, remodeling and expansion of the current middle school, and 9-classroom addition to Blackberry Creek Elementary is the critical next step of a multi-building facility plan that was begun 12 years ago.

In the mid 1990s, district staff and the school board realized that Kaneland was facing many years of unprecedented, accelerated enrollment growth. The planning and building began, and 12 years later four new elementary buildings and a capacity doubling addition to Kaneland High School were the results. We concentrated our limited resources on capacity expansion at the grade levels, elementary and high school, facing the most critical need.

The time has come to address the needs at the middle school level. Current enrollment in grades 6-8 is 1,057 students; Kaneland Middle School has a building capacity of less than 800 students.

Even with the currently reduced enrollment growth rate, in two years, enrollment in grades 6-8 will be more than 1,300 students. We are very near capacity at the elementary level, and now with the eighth-graders at the Kaneland High School for part of the day we are at capacity there.

Our flexibility is gone. If we don't build these middle school facilities now, we have very few options available; and all of those options will negatively affect the middle school program

The school district has been very resourceful in managing enrollment capacities and only building additional capacity when the need arises. The need is now and it is a critical time for our school district. Please help provide for our students and vote yes for the Kaneland building referendum.

Steve Bauserman

Kaneland Facility

Planning Committee

Elburn