Huntley Dist. 158 hopefuls debate high school

Even as the local housing market slows dramatically, young families that recently moved into Huntley Unit District 158 continue to enroll new students in the district.

How to accommodate these students once they reach high school has become a central question for district officials.

School board members Mike Skala and Larry Snow, running against one another for a two-year term on the board, agree the issue needs more study, but have a fundamental disagreement over how to meet high school space needs.

"I think the only difference between me and Larry on the high school is that he favors expansion," Skala said.

Skala supports building a freshman academy on the district's Harmony Road campus, arguing that education would suffer in a supersize high school.

Snow instead supports expanding the existing high school, saying it would cost less than constructing a new building.

"Based on the current information, why wouldn't you want to look at a 15-year solution, to expand the high school, at a minimal cost?" Snow said.

Both men agree District 158 should do nothing until several key questions are answered.

"Until we have more information, I don't think we need to spend any money," Skala said.

Snow says the existing high school has enough space for another 10 years, pointing out the district's estimates of the building's capacity are based on the assumption that only 85 percent of classroom space will be utilized.

Both candidates agree with the decision to hold off on surveying residents about the high school until those space issues, and the cost of various expansion, can be examined further.

District 158 officials plan to survey residents in the fall on which option they prefer.