Dist. 214: All schools will open on time

Schools will open Aug. 25 as scheduled despite the construction strike, a spokesman for Northwest Suburban High School District 214 said Wednesday.

Venetia Miles responded to rumors circulating among students that the strike would delay the opening of at least some of the schools.

Unlike other districts, District 214 is not negotiating separate contracts with the unions whose strike has shut down highway and major construction projects around the region, said Miles.

Projects at District 214 have been prioritized so that as soon as the strike ends the critical ones can be completed, she said.

The top priorities are classrooms and the entrance at Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, classrooms at Buffalo Grove High School and the student service area at Rolling Meadows High School.

The theater at Buffalo Grove and the library at Rolling Meadows will be addressed once the priority projects are finished, she said. School roof repairs will be postponed until next summer.

Miles said she does not know how much time is needed to complete the priority projects, but district leadership is confident that they, at least, they can be finished after the strike ends by pulling workers off the other projects.

"We are very optimistic in believing that at least the priority projects will be completed," said Miles. "We will wait and see and hopefully (the strike) it will be resolved next Monday."