District 200 is taking closer look at facilities

After several months of engaging Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 staff and community members, architects Perkins + Will has presented the facility master plan report to the board of education.

The final report, including an executive summary, is available on our website, www.cusd200.org.

A facility master plan, or FMP, is a physical and educational assessment of our buildings.

District 200 schools have physical assets such as roofs, windows, plumbing, doors and fixtures that need to be repaired or replaced within the next few years. Many of the educational spaces in our schools don't match the needs of future-ready, 21st-century learners. A FMP is a long-term view of our facility needs both now and in the future.

A FMP allows the board to make well-thought-out and cost-effective decisions about facility changes and takes many factors, such as safety, security and educational needs of all our students, into account.

To assemble the final report, the district engaged architects Perkins + Will to collaborate and engage our school staff and community to fully identify the educational and physical needs and priorities at all of our buildings.

Board President Jim Vroman is pleased with the past seven months of collaborative efforts utilized for the plan's creation.

"During the Engage 200 process, the community said to us, 'we want to make sure the board is taking a big picture approach to address any facility issues.' We believe this report provides that big picture," Vroman says.

The board has several important discussions planned throughout April, including an all-day workshop to discuss the facility master plan report in detail, and to begin the process of prioritizing critical physical and educational upgrades needed at our buildings.

We look forward to making progress in facilities planning, including reaching a consensus on the priorities of the projects to be addressed, a timeline for implementation and the means to finance their implementation.

The community can expect a series of communications from us as our plans develop. As always, you are encouraged to attend any of our open board of education discussions to participate in the conversation.

• Jeff Schuler is superintendent of Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200. His column appears monthly in Neighbor during the school year.