After six months of extensive community engagement, the Grayslake Community High School District 127’s (D127) Investing In Tomorrow Facilitating Team presented its final recommendations to the Board of Education at its June 27 regular meeting. The community-led initiative focused on involving the community in planning for the future of D127 facilities.
After careful consideration of the committee’s recommendations, the Board was unanimous in its decision not to immediately pursue a referendum on the upcoming November 5 ballot to address a variety of facility renovations and updates.
Instead, the Board members committed to reviewing feedback gathered from open houses, community input forums, surveys, and to engage with stakeholders in detailed discussions about D127 Tomorrow in the coming months.
“First and foremost, we respect our role in the community and our residents. We work hard to make high-quality education a reality in our high schools while balancing the cost to our community,” said Douglas Nerge, D127 Board President. “Our schools belong to our community, and they told us they wanted more time to process our next steps, and we are going to take the time to do this right.”
The D127 Investing In Tomorrow community engagement process was launched in January 2024 to gather feedback on and develop a plan for the aging infrastructure of Grayslake Central and Grayslake North high schools. Grayslake Central, built 76 years ago, last underwent significant renovations in 2001, while Grayslake North, constructed in 2004, also requires updates to align with current educational best practices.
The process involved input from over 1,800 community members, including parents, students, staff, and other residents. Key activities included two online surveys open to the entire community and four open houses, two at each high school, which allowed participants to tour the schools and offer their perspectives on proposed facility improvements.
"We greatly appreciate our community's active involvement in these important conversations," said Micah Swigert, D127 Tomorrow Overall Chairperson. “I have learned a lot through my time on the D127 Tomorrow Committee, and we will continue to meet and gather information as our community and the Board wants as we consider the future of our schools.”
District administrators and Board members expressed heartfelt gratitude to all community
members who participated in the discussions, provided feedback, and shared their perspectives throughout the discussion at the Board meeting.
Superintendent Mikkel Storaasli stated, “We are deeply grateful for the active participation and valuable feedback from our community.” “Listening to our community members is essential as we strive to provide the best possible education for our students. We look forward to continuing this dialogue and working together to meet the challenges ahead.”
For several years, the Grayslake Community High School District has completed various key projects to enhance and maintain our facilities. These include major roofing and paving repairs, HVAC system replacements, energy efficiency upgrades such as LED retrofits, and a new parking lot at Central. Recent open houses have showcased the discrepancies between career technical, arts, athletic, and learning spaces at Central and North High School.
The district spends between three and five million dollars annually on capital maintenance projects,” CSBO, Abe Singh added. “We are diligent about replacing and upgrading what is necessary, but the reality is that some of the renovations being discussed, such as adding a theater at North and adding athletic and cafeteria space needs at Central, would stretch beyond our means in the regular operating budget.”
Moving forward, the board renewed its commitment to continue assessing the facility maintenance needs at both high schools on an annual basis, ensuring that the schools remain safe for student use.