Schools need facilities investment

As a proud Park Ridge resident and District 64 parent, I would like to express my gratitude to the community and to current and past school boards for the collaboration and collective efforts required to address the needs of aging facilities, while also adding full-day kindergarten and continuing to look for ways to enhance programming and opportunities for all students and staff.

Through my experiences as an educator, principal and a district-based administrator over the last 25 years, I understand the ever-changing landscape of education. Schools have changed and what schools are asked to do has increased. These changes require not only shifts in programming and policy, but shifts in the way learning spaces are designed.

The average age of our district school buildings is 75 years. School buildings built in the early half of the 20th century were not designed to support maker spaces or science labs, or to meet the unique needs of special education students and English language learners. Well-designed learning spaces have the ability to boost student engagement and outcomes and enhance opportunities for innovation for both students and teachers.

In order to continue to protect academic excellence and enhance the student experience in District 64, an investment to improve and update our facilities is required. The community can no longer afford to take actions that temporarily fix issues as they arise. There must be a commitment to a long-term plan that will create healthier, safer, more secure schools that are suitable for learning in the 21st Century. I encourage all residents to join me in supporting the upcoming referendum, ensuring that our students continue to receive a world class education in first rate facilities while we build a future that benefits not only today’s students but also generations to come.

Eduardo Cesario

Park Ridge