Lincoln School preferred option to close
Mundelein Elementary District 75 officials say closing Lincoln School for the 2011-12 school year is the preferred option to address declining enrollment and an expected budget deficit.
If that happens, Superintendent Cynthia Heidorn said, Lincoln students would move to Mechanics Grove. First-graders now at Washington would remain there for second grade.
The district would move its headquarters to Lincoln and the existing office at 470 N. Lake St. would be leased or sold. Until then, officials anticipate saving $582,337 the first year, or $304,523 over the current spending plan. Once the office is sold, the anticipated savings would be $568,045 in the first year, or $290,231 over the current spending plan.
The difference is due to the cost to move the technology network to Carl Sandburg Middle School.
“But there are challenges and implications to closing this school (Lincoln),” Heidorn acknowledged.
She said parents would lose the choice they now have in which school their children attend. District 75 would have just one school for kindergarten through second grade, one for third through fifth grades and one for sixth through eighth grade.
There would also be less space flexibility, Heidorn said.
Officials said they are considering several options to address declining enrollment and a projected $500,000 deficit by the 2012-13 school year.
Others include operating two prekindergarten through fifth grade schools along with Sandburg Middle School, or having prekindergarten through first grade, second through fourth grade and fifth through eighth grade schools.
Roughly 90 people attended Monday night’s school board meeting to hear about the options and to provide input.
Many expressed support for Lincoln, including its multi-age classrooms and innovation, and implored district officials to maintain that facility.
“There’s no question that some students are better served at Lincoln than they would be at other schools in the district,” said parent Michael Atkinson. “Lincoln is special. Lincoln is different.”
Parent Genna Johnson said she knows the bills need to be paid, but worries about the impact to children.
“There are a lot of emotional costs, and those come home to me at night,” Johnson said. Children being moved around many times to other schools, she added, affects their learning.
Last spring, the district cut $846,000 from its budget. Forty-four positions were eliminated, class sizes were increased and library and social work services were reduced.
Parent Lori Wilcox said she attended Mundelein schools and is now a principal in Barrington. She assured parents “these kinds of conversations are happening everywhere, not just here.”
“Try not to get too hung up on the building, but take those things that worked and keep on with that,” Wilcox said.
The board will give parents another chance to offer input Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at Sandburg Middle School, 855 W. Hawley St.