Parents doubt Lake Zurich schools enrollment projections

Dozens of Lake Zurich Unit District 95 parents questioned the school board and administration Monday night about whether officials had fully thought through the impact of closing Charles Quentin Elementary School.

The school board is expected to vote on April 24 to close the school at 21250 W. Shirley Road, Palatine, at the end of the 2008-09 school year.

The district administration recommended Charles Quentin's closure about a year ago as one of several options to consolidate elementary schools and deal with aging buildings.

The district is looking at a significant investment in facilities ranging anywhere from $6 million to roughly $40 million to replace, repair and fulfill critical facilities needs at all district schools.

The suggestion to close Charles Quentin was based on an outside demographer's enrollment projections showing stable or declining elementary student enrollment, the age and condition of the school itself and what it would cost to repair it, as well as under-utilization of other district buildings.

District officials estimated the cost to keep Charles Quentin open for the next 10 years at roughly $7 million. The district anticipates saving $390,000 by closing the school.

"At some point, you are throwing good money after bad," District 95 school board President Kathy Brown said.

Parents on Monday voiced fears about the potential for increased class sizes and crowding driven by inaccurate enrollment projections.

"Do a census, neighborhood to neighborhood, and you will see from the parents' standpoint and neighborhood standpoint that enrollment is increasing and not declining," said Carrie Groeller of Deer Park, who has a first- and third-grader at Charles Quentin.

Still, district officials assured parents class sizes would not increase above the 27-student threshold set by the school board and agreed to in the teachers' contract.

Several parents questioned the accuracy of recent enrollment projections that, in the worst-case scenario, showed the district would have 100 fewer elementary students in five years.

Earlier demographic projections showed an increase in elementary student enrollment, which prompted the school district to build its sixth elementary school in Hawthorn Woods in 2004.

District officials say they are planning to build a cushion and increase classroom space at other schools.

Parents also wanted to know where Charles Quentin students would end up after redistricting before the decision to close the school is finalized.

Yet any discussion about redistricting is premature, Brown said.

"The board hasn't had any presentation from the administration or any discussions about the parameters, timelines (of redistricting)," she said.

District officials will be discussing a timeline for beginning the redistricting process to downsize from six to five elementary schools at a Thursday night meeting. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Lake Zurich High School library, 300 Church St.