Copyright Chicago Tribune
West Aurora School District 129 is looking at a proposal to embark on a classroom modernization study encompassing all of its schools. A multi-year proposal for such a study was presented to the West Aurora school board on Oct. 20. However, no decision on the proposal was made at the meeting. Board members were reminded that voters in 2015 backed an $82.4 million borrowing plan to finance building projects that included HVAC systems, roofs and exterior grounds. With passage of the referendum question, most of the district’s basic needs were addressed, West Aurora School District Associate Superintendent of Operations Angie Smith said at a recent board meeting. “We are very fortunate as a district that a referendum passed, and we were able to attend to a great deal of our needs to catch up with roofs and sidewalks and other improvements. We have gotten to the point that most of the things that needed to be attended to have been attended to,” she said. “The next step in the conversation is to talk about classroom modernization,” Smith said of the proposal for a study. “We are now at the point where we can actually have that conversation about how to change the spaces that people are in every day.” The district’s architect, Patrick Callahan, of Studio GC, would oversee the multi-step process of a study with the objective to “develop and plan strategies for modernizing classrooms.” The proposed study would start with an evaluation of existing spaces in all buildings, Callahan told the board. “As you well know, the district has buildings that cross many decades,” Callahan said. “Some work has been done in some classrooms but there has not been a comprehensive strategy to bring them all up to the current level.” There would need to be an assessment of all facilities based on age, he said, adding the next step would be to “establish research-driven baselines.” The proposal is to evaluate the district’s facilities as it relates to what he termed “spatial agility.” “Spatial agility is the ability for that space to respond to changes in education,” he told the board. “Each building has its own personality. The idea is not to change the personality but to change the outcome of what happens inside.” Another step of the process would itemize a list of improvements by categories. Then the plan would be to create tailored plans for classroom improvements at the schools. Lastly, a multi-year improvement plan would be developed, officials said. As for the condition of classrooms, each school is different based upon its age, Smith said in a response to questions from The Beacon-News. “Some date back to the ’50s-’60s. A lot has changed in education best practice since then. The reason for this process is to evaluate the current conditions to determine a path forward to modernize for the current and future needs of our teachers and students,” Smith said. The district has been making upgrades as needed over the years, she said. “While we have done everything from full replacements (Hill Elementary) to expansions we have not systemically looked at classroom spaces with the lens of how they best support learning. That is the focus of this project,” Smith said. The modernization of classrooms would be a multi-year endeavor, she said. “We need to collect data and involve stakeholders in researching best practices. We need to hear from our teachers and students about how they feel about their spaces and what would be most conducive to learning,” Smith said. According to Smith, the proposal is to “develop a multi-year implementation plan that will allow the board to decide if they want it worked in as part of our regular capital projects budget or if they would like to use any reserves. The goal is to develop a plan that is financially sustainable that does not require further borrowing.” Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
