Grayslake 46 looking to install solar panels at four schools

Grayslake Elementary School District 46 is moving forward with a plan to install solar panels at four schools in an effort to go green and save money in the long term.

Superintendent Ellen Correll said the district plans to mount solar panels to the roofs of Grayslake Middle School and Park School Campus in Round Lake and to install solar panels on the grounds of Prairieview School in Hainesville and Fredrick School in Grayslake.

"It's very exciting," Correll said. "We'll be going green and trying to conserve some energy and we'll use those funds to maintain our buildings."

Correll said she doesn't yet know how much money it will cost the district to install the solar panels because she doesn't know how many panels they'll be allowed to install. The projects still have to be approved by the village boards in Grayslake, Round Lake and Hainesville.

"They may say we can only put solar panels on these two sides of the buildings," Correll said.

Correll said they picked the schools after analyzing whether there was enough room on the schools' grounds and the condition of the roofs. She said officials decided not to build panels at schools that will probably have their roofs replaced in the next 10 to 15 years.

Correll said they've begun engaging the community about the solar panels plan. On Thursday night, school officials had a community meeting for residents of the Quail Creek subdivision, just south of Frederick School. They showed off the plans, which include building a fence and planting shrubbery around the solar panels so they are screened from residents.

"We want to know what the community thinks," Correll said.

Correll said only two people showed up.

The plan to put solar panels on the roof of Grayslake Middle School will be before the Grayslake plan commission at 7 p.m. Monday at village hall.

Correll said if their plans are approved by the various village boards and the school board approves the final cost of the installations, the solar panels will be installed in late spring or early summer.