During its meeting on July 17, 2018, the District 97 Board of Education authorized the development of bid documents for the expansion project that is scheduled to take place at Longfellow Elementary School, and includes the following additions and renovations.
- Addition of six classrooms
- Addition of space for special education
- Addition of an elevator and a chair lift to promote and provide improved accessibility throughout the building
- Renovation of the learning commons, which will include space to offer instruction in STEAM
- Construction of a new, larger multi-purpose room
- Renovation of some classrooms
- Renovation of space for student services (OT/PT, EL, etc.)
- Performance of exterior site improvements that will include restoring play space disrupted by the expansion
Based on feedback we received from the school community, we are currently exploring solutions that will enable us to make the proposed upgrades to the building, while also preserving as much of the existing outdoor/playground space as possible.
The estimated construction cost of the Longfellow expansion is approximately $11.1 million. This estimate does not include the cost of items such as furniture, fixtures, equipment, architectural fees, construction manager fees, abatement and contingencies.
The goal is to complete the expansion by the start of the 2019-20 school year.
We will keep the community updated on the status of this project. In the meantime, you can view the current design plans for the expansion via the PDF that is posted below. You can also use our Let’s Talk system to send us your comments, questions or thoughts about the project.