Dist. 15 makes plans to renovate Stanley school

Marquardt Elementary District 15 officials are looking to renovate a portion of Stanley Hall School.

Leaders gave LEGAT Architects direction to move forward with an unofficial project plan Tuesday night during a buildings and grounds meeting.

The $600,000 project includes turning an open classroom area, which currently houses two classes and a learning center, into four private classrooms with walls and an independent learning center. The project also includes landscaping and remodeling steps within the facility at 1447 Wayne Ave., in Glendale Heights.

Board Member Jean Randazzo said the funding of the project would be of concern to her, but she's fine with the architects bringing forward a solid proposal.

Superintendent Loren May said Hall school is the last facility left with open space areas. All the others have been renovated and turned into private classrooms.

"I think it creates a good environment for the students," he said. "Their learning environment is one component of student improvement and their achievement levels, so it's part of a bigger picture."

May said the school was built in the early 1960s, and the addition that's hoped to be renovated was constructed several years later because of an increase in enrollment. Back then, many schools were built with open space, and teachers put temporary partitions in when needed.

Now, he said, students are distracted because they can hear everything that's going on in nearby areas.

"With enclosed classrooms, we don't run into the problems that we have (at Hall school)," he said.

If the project is approved, May said the goal would be to develop concepts for the renovation and put the project out to bid by January, award the bid by February and begin construction as soon as school is out.