Sound Off On District 202 Full-Day Kindergarten Plan

PLAINFIELD, IL — Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202 is asking community members for feedback on its proposal to build an 18th elementary school — at a cost of about $25 million — to accommodate full-day kindergarten across all schools. Currently, due to space constraints, only one full-day kindergarten class is offered at each elementary school, with a total of 408 students participating.

The district has used a lottery to randomly choose 24 students from each of the district's 17 elementary schools for the current full-day kindergarten program.

During a special meeting last week, board of education members heard a proposal to build another school on land the district already owns as part of a plan to create enough space to allow for full-day kindergarten for all eligible students. No vote was taken at the April 3 meeting, but the board is expected to vote on the plan on April 15.

The district plans to use a special "leasing" option to pay the bank $2.5 million a year for 10 years for the $25 million project, and would not have to increase taxes to fund construction of the new campus. After 10 years, the district would take ownership of the property.

If the board approves the plan, it would take two to three years to build the new school.

Information on the proposal, including the April 3 presentation to the board, can be found on the District 202 website.

Parents and community members are invited to email the board of education to share their thoughts on the proposal. A public comment period will also take place at the April 15 meeting, with the public session beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Liberty Elementary School, 1401 Essington Road, Bolingbrook.