Naperville school celebrates a spacious new start

Mill Street Elementary fifth-grader Ojurere Shonekan wishes she could go back to first grade to enjoy the school's new renovations a little longer.

"For this new space and all the other great things about Mill Street Elementary, I will always be proud to call myself a Mustang," she said.

The Naperville school, 1300 N. Mill St., celebrated the renovations and new additions in a ceremony Monday.

The school previously had the designation of being the building with the lowest square footage per student of any Naperville Unit District 203 elementary building. It was not unusual to see small groups of students working in hallways and parents packed into the gymnasium to see evening performances.

"This school really needed some help," school board President Mike Jaensch said. "It's opening up a new chapter."

The project included a 15,000-square-foot addition with a gym, multipurpose room and cafeteria. The school's learning resource center has also been reconfigured and there are eight new rooms for learning, including a new computer room, music room and classrooms for the English Language Learner program. Administrator offices have also been expanded and the outdoor traffic flow was improved.

Crews broke ground on the project in September 2008 and finished it just as school was starting this August. The project was designed and constructed by Wight and Company and Lamp, Inc.

Principal Mark DeMoulin called it a "super human effort" by all involved.

"It was just really a labor of love for all of us who were involved in this project," he said. "A lot of time and a lot of effort, lot of meetings, lot of planning, but it was all worth it."

The total cost of the renovations came in just under $7 million, which is below the original estimate of $7.3 million.

Becky Stevenson, co-president of the school's Home and School Association, said she is thankful to the district and community for supporting the project.

"We very much look forward to and celebrate what will only continue to enhance the quality of education our children receive here," she said.

State representatives Darlene Senger, a Naperville Republican, and Mike Connelly, a Lisle Republican, were both on hand at Monday's ceremony and announced they had passed a resolution in the state legislature congratulating the school on its new renovations.

"The next generation of parents who were in my shoes and my wife's shoes - will be making the same choice to bring their families to Naperville because of the quality of life starting with the schools," Connelly said.

The work at Mill Street school is part of $114.9 million in facilities projects around the district. In 2008, voters approved a $43 million bond issue to help pay for the improvements.