District 102 in Buffalo Grove eyeing multimillion dollar expansion play

Aptakisic-Tripp Elementary District 102 is expected to pursue a $19 million to $25 million expansion plan to keep up with population growth in Buffalo Grove.

School board members will vote Monday whether to narrow three proposals to one plan, which would reorganize the grade levels at each of the district's five schools and add significant space to Aptakisic Junior High. The plan also would include spending on renovations at the district's other three schools.

The school district would pay for the plan with alternate revenue bonds and budget reserves. Alternate revenue bonds do not require an additional tax or voter referendum because the district pays off the debt over 20 years with money from existing revenues.

With residential developments going up in Buffalo Grove and more on the way, district officials plan to increase space to accommodate 280 students per grade, Superintendent Lori Wilcox said. The district currently has about 250 students per grade.

"Even without the new residential development, we're very full and very crowded," Wilcox said, adding the district already has transformed space to create additional classrooms.

Under the plan, students in early childhood through third grade would attend Pritchett and Tripp elementary schools. Children in grades 4 and 5 would attend Meridian Middle School. Sixth- through eighth-grade students would attend Aptakisic Junior High. The district office would be moved to create more classroom space at the junior high.

The district would need to decide whether to build additional space onto one of the schools for district offices or rent an off-site facility, Wilcox said.

The proposal does not include exact cost figures because the district and school board will need to decide how much to spend on additions and renovations, Wilcox said. Rather, the plan will provide direction on next steps for growth, she said.

"There's a lot of pieces and moving parts that all have to come together," Wilcox said. "Now that we have a plan, we need to start prioritizing. We want to improve and enhance all four buildings."