Kaneland pushes for new middle school

A new middle school is desperately needed to house Kaneland students, according to district administrators.

The new building is the cornerstone of the district's $65 million building referendum on the ballot in Tuesday's primary election.

The increase would cost the owner of a $300,000 house about $300 more a year.

That would include the new middle school, on Harter Road west of Route 47 in Sugar Grove, additions to Blackberry Creek Elementary School and the current middle school, and safety upgrades at other schools.

The eighth-grade class was moved to the high school building this year, and will stay there next year. But by the 2009-10 school year -- when, if approved this election, a new middle school would open -- the high school won't be able to hold the eighth-graders, Superintendent Charles McCormick said.

There are currently 1,057 sixth- through eighth-graders, and the middle school has a capacity of 750, he said.

Eighth-graders spend their mornings in the high school and are bused to the middle school for exploratory classes in the afternoon. The travel time has eliminated students' silent reading time, said Julie-Ann Fuchs, assistant business official.

"I think we're doing a great disservice to the students, wasting instructional time," she said.

Whether the referendum passes or not Tuesday, not much will change for the 2008-09 school year. Class sizes will have to go up, and some middle school classes already have 35 students, McCormick said.

But for the 2009-10 school year, the school board will have to seriously look at mobile classrooms and split shifts, said Lisa Wiet, school board president.

"It worries me that people think the housing slowdown is a housing stop," she said. "I'm thankful we only had 250 new students this year."

The price of the project has jumped $12 million since the same project with a $53.2 million price tag was voted down last year.

That increase was due to increase in construction materials, wages and fuel costs, McCormick said.

Growing pains

Kaneland administrators have said that even if growth doesn't continue, higher class sizes at the lower levels will require new buildings.

12th grade 242

11th grade 281

10th grade 297

9th grade 294

8th grade 340

7th grade 356

6th grade 361

5th grade 355

4th grade 367

3rd grade 395

2nd grade 346

1st grade 345

Kindergarten 375

Source: Kaneland School District