How should District 300 grow?

The Community Unit District 300 school board did not reach consensus on how to fix crowded east-side schools after a two-hour work session Thursday night.

The board discussed three plans that would move hundreds of students to less-crowded schools, add at least a dozen new classrooms and expand full-day kindergarten and preschool.

Although they did not reach a tentative decision, board members said they had enough information to vote on the three plans June 23.

An otherwise routine discussion that focused on philosophical issues rather than the details of the three plans was interrupted by a surprise from board President Joe Stevens.

About an hour into the work session, Stevens offered an alternative to the three proposals recommended by the district's Eastside Study Committee: building a new school on the east side.

Stevens first advanced the idea months ago, but Thursday night was the first time he formally presented the option to his board colleagues -- complete with cost and enrollment estimates.

"This little idea won't go away," Stevens said.

While noting practical concerns with the idea, the board president said a new elementary school could open with 500 students, be affordable and offer a long-term solution for the east side.

"Are we being shortsighted by not looking at it?" Stevens said.

Stevens' district colleagues didn't seem to go for the idea.

"It would blow all your long-range planning out of the water," Chief Financial Officer Cheryl Crates said, adding it would cost an extra $1.2 million to run the school each year.

But Stevens shot back, pointing out that the district said it would build a third elementary school when it asked voters to approve a tax hike two years ago.

"Building an elementary school was always on the table," Stevens said. "All I've done is change what side of town it's on."