'Neighborhood-school philosophy' arrives with students in District 30
The first day students attended class in Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 was not a matter of better late than never.
Students, parents and educators under remote learning had tasted never. Most didn't much like it.
Opening school Sept. 2 was simply better late.
"It was definitely a good thing. I got to go on an extra vacation and spend time with my friends," said Jack Truelsen, a fifth-grader at Wescott School, 1820 Western Ave., in Northbrook.
Parents, of course, were supportive.
"It's stressful having a longer summer when you're a working parent, but they love it," said Jack's mother, Michelle, who also attended Wescott before both she and her husband, Rob, went on to Glenbrook North High School.
There was lots to love last Thursday at Wescott.
The summer construction project that had caused the planned delay to Sept. 2 produced eight new classrooms, new art and music rooms, a new, larger gym and an expanded entrance. Outdoors there was a new all-abilities playground and a longer drop-off lane, which had District 30 Superintendent Brian Wegley directing traffic to the proper entrance.
There may be the usual final details and polishing left, but "nothing that's stopping us," said Wescott Principal Chris Brown, in his eighth year there and 12th year in the district.
Jack Truelsen was excited about that larger gym. Brian Wegley liked that a roomier Wescott relieved pressure on Willowbrook Elementary, 2500 Happy Hollow Road, Glenview.
Critically, the classroom expansions at Wescott enabled the return of kindergarten classes to the Northbrook school, which Wegley said this year tops 500 students for the first time.
Wescott hadn't offered kindergarten since 2007, Wegley said. Now, the district can fully embrace what he called the "neighborhood-school philosophy."
Starting on Sept. 3, the first day for kindergartners, all of District 30's Northbrook K-5 students will attend Wescott, and its Glenview students will attend Willowbrook.
They'll all filter into Maple School, 2370 Shermer Road, Northbrook, for sixth, seventh and eighth grade.
While first-grade students like Claire Fishbain had to wait a year to make their Wescott debut last Thursday, the new construction insured that a year from now Claire's 4-year-old sister, Reagan - there to see Claire off with parents Lisa and Joel - will attend school only a stroller ride away.
"We are excited for school, and the school looks beautiful," said Lisa Fishbain. Like the Truelsens, her family also enjoyed an extra vacation.
Joel and Lisa kept watch as Claire waited quietly for Wescott's doors to open in one of the lines of students organized by grade and their teachers.
The crowd built on the blacktop playground, from early arrivals bearing flowers for their teachers and mothers taking pictures, to a full community gathering that lingered after their children calmly entered the building at 8:50 a.m.
Some of the little ones looked apprehensive; some of the older students walked into class with hands in pockets, a veteran's been-there, done-that attitude.
The sunny September sky beamed down on them all.
"It's going to be a great day," Brown said. "Beautiful weather, brand-new school additions. A wonderful day. Wonderful first couple days."