District 204 eyes solar projects, makes progress on referendum work
It’s been nearly a year since voters in Indian Prairie District 204 overwhelmingly approved a $420 million borrowing plan for building improvements, and various schools have seen progress on significant projects.
Over the summer, the district made entrances more secure and made other safety enhancements at 11 of its elementary schools. The Aurora-based district replaced flooring in six schools. As part of an energy efficiency program, the district also has started the process of upgrading lighting to LED.
“All work that we've done is work that is consistent and documented within our master facility plan,” said Matt Shipley, the district’s chief school business official. “That involved reviewing every single facility in this district, all 4 million plus square feet, to really identify our priorities.”
The switch from fluorescent to LED lighting improves learning environments and results in significant cost savings, according to a recent presentation to the school board.
“I've been in those schools before and after that lighting was put in. It really does make a huge difference,” school board President Laurie Donahue said.
At Steck Elementary School in Aurora, the aging roof has been replaced with a steel slope roof. The Steck and other recent roof replacements enable the installation of solar panels.
“Our roofs are finally in a position where we can really look at this at scale,” Shipley said. As that opportunity is opening, some changes at the federal level are “making it a little bit more restrictive,” he said.
The district is evaluating solar panel projects at Steck, Brooks, McCarty, Gombert and Georgetown — all “ComEd schools” in Aurora, Shipley said.
“These five schools we identified, we believe we're on pace to get this in before” some federal incentives expire, Shipley said.
“But the reality is that may be an issue as we look to expand the program,” he said, adding that the availability of some of those credits may make solar panels less viable in other areas.
Officials also plan a comprehensive renovation of Waubonsie Valley High High School — one of the most significant projects the district is tackling with voter-approved funding. The work started with an auditorium renovation.
“We pretty much gutted the entire space,” said John Robinson, the district’s building operations director. “We're now putting it back together.”
The auditorium renovation includes a new sound booth, lighting and acoustical upgrades, new seating, ADA improvements, and ticket booths. It’s on schedule for a reopening and dedication at Prism, Waubonsie’s winter concert. Additional back-of-house improvements are scheduled for summer 2026.
On the athletic side, the district also will install turf fields at Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley high schools. The turf at Metea Valley High School will be replaced. Metea and Neuqua also will also get a track replacement. Waubonsie Valley’s stadium improvements will include a new scoreboard, upgraded bathrooms and new concession stand.
“I like that we're getting some items done quicker that are getting out, that the community will be able to see, not just people that are involved in the schools,” school board member Justin Karubas said. “They can see that we're getting a new turf, new roofs.”