Facilities Summer Update

Dear D303 Community:

I hope you and your families are enjoying a safe and relaxing summer.

Many of our school buildings have served students, families, and neighborhoods for decades. As these buildings age and educational needs continue to evolve, the cost of waiting is growing, and the ability of our schools to support today’s students is becoming more challenging. That is why the future of District 303 school buildings is one of the most important conversations happening in our community this summer.

Strong schools help prepare students for life after graduation and protect the long-term quality of life that makes our community a great place to live.

This summer, the School Board and D303 leadership are reviewing a communitywide facilities report that identified 16 potential projects with an estimated cost of $295.6 million. These projects focus on the needs our community ranked as top priorities: making schools accessible for all students, providing students with the same opportunities across the district, expanding career training, repairing aging infrastructure, and updating safety and security.

The Board is expected to decide in August whether to place a referendum on the November 3 ballot asking voters to consider a capital-improvement bond to fund improvements to our school facilities.

For a detailed look at the Committee process and findings, I strongly encourage you to watch the video on our Facilities website. We also have two Voices of D303 Podcast episodes featuring the Committee’s work: This episode includes a look inside Wild Rose Elementary School and North High School, and our just-released episode shares the views from three community members who served on the Facilities Committee and took a close look at our schools and all of the potential investments.