Arlington Heights Dist. 25 unveils fifth building addition since 2016
Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 unveiled its fifth building addition in three years on Monday to address the burgeoning enrollment throughout the district.
When they arrive for the first day of classes Tuesday morning, some 80 kindergartners and fifth-graders will fill four new classrooms within Greenbrier Elementary's two-story, 8,280-square-foot addition. The expanded building, at 2330 N. Verde Drive, also includes three small group spaces for advanced math classes, speech language pathology and other services.
The $6.4 million project, which started last fall and wrapped up Saturday, also included converting the main school building's computer lab into a classroom, and renovating an odd-shaped classroom into two small group spaces. The district spent another $2.7 million for other upgrades to the current building, including replacement of a section of roof, new lighting and life safety work.
Outside, work crews added 10 parking spots and replaced two playgrounds.
The Greenbrier project marks the completion of the district's multiyear expansion plan, which started with major additions at Ivy Hill and Olive-Mary Stitt elementary schools in 2016, and Windsor Elementary and Thomas Middle School in 2017.
Superintendent Lori Bein said she does not anticipate further building additions in the near future.
"This is our fifth and final one," Bein said Monday at the Greenbrier ribbon-cutting. "This was our plan from the beginning."
Enrollment has grown in the K-5 classrooms at Greenbrier, as well as the district's early childhood program housed there. The expansion will allow 45 children on a waitlist for the early childhood program to attend classes this year, Bein said.
"We believe this addition will serve the community for 20 years to come," she added.
Also Monday, the Thomas school expansion - which included a new gymnasium, locker rooms, entry lobby and expanded administrative offices - received Arlington Heights' 2018 Alan F. Bombick Award for Excellence in Design in the commercial building category.
"You can't tell where the old building ends and the new building begins," Bein said. "Our buildings have been very fluid in design."