School closing a possibility in Mundelein District 75

Mundelein Elementary District 75, which has made hard decisions in rough financial times, again is buffeted by circumstances that may lead to more tough choices.

Closing Lincoln Elementary School for the next school year is one option being considered in the district, where revenues are stagnant and enrollment continues to drop.

“The concern that we have is that Lincoln will become too small and it becomes too difficult to run the same quality of program,” Superintendent Cynthia Heidorn said.

“Our instructional program is stronger than ever and our performance results show that,” Heidorn added. “Our challenge is that we have a declining enrollment and one of the board’s commitments is to find financial stability for the district.”

Parents have been invited to hear a presentation on the options and offer suggestions during a public meeting Jan. 24. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. and will be held at Carl Sandburg Middle School, 855 W. Hawley in Mundelein.

Closing a school or relocating students to other schools while keeping all three elementary schools open are the two most likely scenarios facing the board at this point.

“We have not made a decision yet. We want to make sure we understand what our options are,” said school board President Wells Frice.

Heidorn on Jan. 10 presented the board with four options to address a 21 percent drop in the number of students during the last 10 years. The district wants to forego program cuts by using existing resources more efficiently.

Enrollment in the district’s four schools was 2,247 in the 2000-01 school year, compared to 1,777 this year.

“The housing market has not turned around yet, which makes it more difficult for families to move into the district,” Heidorn said. Also, the potential for new homes and students is low as the district is landlocked.

The two options that will be studied further are:

Ÿ Keep all schools open, but divide second-grade students between Mechanics Grove and Lincoln;

Ÿ Keep second grade at Washington school, move preschool programs to Sandburg Middle School, close Lincoln and use Mechanics Grove as a third- to fifth-grade center.

Lincoln is “less flexible” than the other two elementary schools in that it has fewer classrooms and only one gym, Frice said. Lincoln School was built in 1894 and closed in 1979. It reopened and became Lake County’s first year-round school in 1997, although all District 75 schools now are on the same calendar.

Last spring, the district cut $846,000 from its budget. Forty-four positions were eliminated, class sizes were increased and library and social work services were reduced. The board next year wants to keep as many people and programs as possible.

“What’s key is it’s the interaction between the staff members and teachers,” with students, Frice said, and “not so much where they physically happen to be residing.”

A decision is anticipated in February.

Besides closing a school or relocating students, the district is: considering closing and relocating the district office; eliminating another administrative position; and consolidating or sharing services with other Mundelein school districts.

“Our actual revenue for next year is on par with that in 2005-06 — six years ago,” Heidorn said. “We’re having to look at how cost efficient we can be.”