'Gateway' renovations beginning at Mill Street School

A new corral is on the horizon for Mill Street's Mustangs.

Construction is expected to begin in about two weeks for Naperville Unit District 203's $7.3 million renovation and addition to Mill Street Elementary School at 1300 N. Mill St. But that didn't stop school and district officials from throwing the project's first few shovels of dirt Tuesday afternoon.

By the end of next summer, Mill Street is expected to have a new 15,000-square-foot gymnasium, improved learning resource center and additional office and classroom space.

Superintendent Alan Leis said he looks forward to the day he drives past and catches a glimpse of the renovated school.

"Mill Street is the gateway for our facilities plan. It's the first facility to start and it will be the first building to be done at the end of next summer," Leis said. "Mill Street is also the gateway to America and the gateway to American education."

Leis wasn't the only excited guy at Tuesday's groundbreaking. Fourth-grader Christopher Danner, one of dozens of students in attendance, topped Leis on the thrill meter.

"Wow! This is great. We'll have a new gym, new multipurpose room and eventually a new playground," Christopher said. "We are also going to have more classrooms and just in time, too, because we already have a lot of first-graders."

Voters approved the renovation and addition in February as part of $114.9 million in facility projects around the district, $43 million of which came from a tax increase.

The plan also includes a major renovation of Naperville Central High School, a new Early Childhood Center and numerous improvements at Naperville North High School.

Jim Dennison, co-chairman of the Build the Future 203 Committee, said the district began studying its facility needs four years ago.

"It's so exciting to see us finally get started," he said. "It's just a blast to be here."