Algonquin School might be ready on Monday, after all
Des Plaines Elementary District 62 officials said Monday they are increasingly hopeful classes will begin at Algonquin Middle School on Monday, Aug. 23, despite construction delays from a three-week laborer's strike.
District officials are still considering two alternate sites - Des Plaines Park District's Prairie Lakes Community Center and Oakton Community College - to house the Des Plaines school's roughly 700 students should Algonquin not pass final inspection Wednesday.
"We're going to be working all the way through (this coming) Sunday," said Raymond Prokop of Wight & Co., construction manager for District 62's five ongoing school projects.
"Almost all of the space will be available for use" barring the administration office/reception area, Prokop said.
Parking lots at the school also won't be ready, forcing buses to drop off students at the Algonquin Road stop. The school's 70 staff members and visitors also will have to use Trinity Lutheran Church's parking lot across the street, per an agreement with the church.
Algonquin parents were supposed to find out where their children will be placed at last Wednesday's registration. That didn't happen because officials realized the Monday before that there is "a real possibility that we could utilize Algonquin School," District 62 Superintendent Jane Westerhold told members of the Daily Herald Editorial Board Monday.
Regional Office of Education representatives and the Des Plaines fire inspector are scheduled to walk through the school at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Algonquin parents will be notified Wednesday night through the district's AlertNow e-mail and phone messaging system whether Algonquin School is in the clear for classes to start there, Westerhold said.
Letters will be mailed out to parents Thursday morning. At that time, parents will also be given specifics about the logistics of transportation pickups and drop-offs, food service and extracurricular activities.
Should Algonquin fail inspection, the district is prepared to bus all students to Prairie Lakes Community Center, which is the closest alternative.