Antioch schools still plagued by overcrowding

An architect hired by Antioch Elementary District 34 has determined the most cost-effective way to accommodate the district's growing number of students is to build a new school.

The finding comes as no surprise to District 34 administrators, who have tried twice, unsuccessfully, to pass building referendums.

"I appreciate the extensiveness of the architect's opinion," said Superintendent Scott Thompson. "We talked about pros and cons of portable trailers, of adding on to our existing buildings and of building a new facility."

Colin Marshall, an architect with Green Associates in Deerfield, was invited to the district's fifth Navigate34 meeting Tuesday.

Marshall has been the architect of record for District 34 for 10 years. He built Hillcrest School and has overseen roof replacement and major renovations, Thompson said.

Marshall said Oakland School has the best potential for adding on, but a new school would offer the best potential to accommodate projected growth.

District 34 is currently 400 students over capacity and is projected to be 900 over capacity in five years.

School board member Ken Miller said there is no question a new facility needs to be built; however, the how and when remains to be seen.

Voters rejected referendums in 2006 and 2007 that would have funded two new schools.

The district owns land at Tiffany Road and North Avenue and Savage Road, south of Route 173, where officials were planning a primary school and middle school.

The district currently has 16 portable classrooms. Seven are at Oakland.

Marshall said while portables are a cost-effective way to address a temporary enrollment bump, they cannot address ongoing growth.

"When I look at portables, I think of something temporary," Miller said. "As a parent, it's pretty clear it is not best-case scenario. As a taxpayer, I want best case-scenario. You can't deliver Grade A education out of a Grade C building."

All of the information collected at the Navigate34 community forums will be presented to the school board for consideration on June 24.