District 214 work won't be done, but classes will start on time

Classes at Rolling Meadows, Hersey and Buffalo Grove high schools will start on Aug. 25 as scheduled despite ongoing construction work, district officials said Thursday.

"We were able to put together a plan yesterday that will allow us to open all the schools on time," Northwest Suburban High School District District 214 Superintendent David Schuler said. "Parents should not worry at all. The start and end times will be the same. The buildings may be just a little harder for freshmen to navigate."

Work resumed this week on several suburban school construction projects that were stalled for three weeks due to a laborers strike. A tentative agreement was reached late Monday night between laborers and contractors.

District 214's situation wasn't as dire as some area school districts faced with relocating students.

"The scope of our work wasn't as big," Schuler said.

Much of the classroom space at the three District 214 schools will be ready for school opening, but work will continue once classes are in session, mainly during evenings and on weekends, Schuler said.

The nearly $9 million facilities improvement and maintenance programs involve minor asbestos work at all three schools; the renovation of two science labs and the main entryway at Hersey; the student services area, library and tennis courts at Rolling Meadows; the theater at Buffalo Grove; and minor roof work at one schools.

While Hersey's science labs will be completed on time, work will continue on the main entryway, Schuler said.

"Our focus has been on classroom space," Schuler said.

At Buffalo Grove, a couple of technology education classrooms will not be available the first week of school, but students will be taught in an alternate location.

A section of the Rolling Meadows library won't be completed for school opening, but the work could be done three weeks later. The school's tennis courts also won't be ready for start of practice, but students may be able to use Rolling Meadows Park District facilities, Schuler said.

"One of the things that we agreed to as an administrative team was that we would only pay overtime for projects that would require us to get occupancy," Schuler said. "We didn't want to go over the scope of our budget."

Schuler said the administrative team will meet with the construction companies weekly to ensure the projects are continuing on schedule.

"I'm really, really pleased with all the workers and the construction companies," Schuler said. "The workers really have done a great job. The companies have all worked with us to redesign the timeline."