District 211 plans for summer, decade of capital projects

Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 officials are looking ahead to future capital improvements, from maintenance projects for the coming summer to an early staff recommendation for a new 10-year plan.

Board members have approved $2.4 million in bids for some of this summer's work, including kitchen equipment and lockers for Schaumburg High School and life-safety work such as doors, frames and glazing for Fremd High School.

Other summer 2017 projects still awaiting approval involve roof replacement and repairs at Schaumburg and Fremd high schools, work at the Schaumburg cafeteria, the complete renovation of that school's 14 bathrooms, and the reconstruction and relocation of Fremd's athletic fields.

The interior work at Schaumburg High School will be so extensive that no summer school programs will be held there this year, Director of Facilities & Business Services Chris Kontney said.

The 10-year capital improvement plan now being prepared will include roof repairs, mechanical equipment replacement, bathroom and locker room renovations, track refinishing, kitchen renovations and the building of flexible classroom spaces, Chief Operating Officer Lauren Hummel said.

The plan also includes the building of a second food science lab at Conant High School and the renovation of the art department at Fremd.

She said most of these projects are expected to be completed during the next five years, but some of the roof and mechanical projects will likely span the entire 10 years.

Hummel also gave an update on the near completion of the district's previous plan. This year saw much work done at Palatine High School, including its parking lot, media center and swimming pool.

The district's fifth and final new pool at Schaumburg High School is expected to be done just after spring break.

"It is hard to believe we are in the fourth year of our current five-year capital improvement plan," Hummel said.

Controller & Treasurer Barbara Peterson said that the district has historically borrowed to pay for capital improvements, officials expect the district to become debt-free at the end of this year and then stay so for as long as possible.

Going forward, school officials hope to pay for future projects through financial reserves and annual operating surpluses without falling below a recommended level of reserves, Peterson said.

For instance, $7.7 million in operating surpluses are forecast this year, which will be put toward the total $12 million of work expected to be done this summer, she said.