Aging Buildings

On November 3, District 300 voters will consider a bond referendum that, if approved, would help fund improvements to aging school buildings and infrastructure.

District 300 schools vary in age, with 13 schools at least 50 years old. By comparison, the national average age of a school building is 49 years.*

As buildings age, systems and equipment such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, roofing, and flooring can become less reliable, requiring more frequent maintenance and repairs.

For example, Westfield Community School has the last HVAC system of its kind still operating in District 300. To help control humidity, the school has had to set its thermostat as low as 60 degrees. In addition, dehumidifiers were added to the school. These units help remove moisture from the air and produce additional noise while operating.

If the referendum is approved, it would help fund improvements to aging buildings and infrastructure across District 300.

*Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, School Pulse Panel, December 2023.

If voters approve the bond referendum, it would help fund more than 20 proposed projects across District 300's three high school feeder patterns: Dundee-Crown, Hampshire, and Jacobs.

Several of these projects are intended to update aging school buildings and infrastructure through improvements such as:

• HVAC repair or replacement
  
  
• Plumbing repair or replacement
  
  
• Roofing repair or replacement
  
  
• Flooring replacement

District 300 has developed several resources to help families and community members better understand aging buildings and infrastructure and the improvements being proposed.

Visit www.d300.org/Bond to access:

• A bond referendum video series that includes:
  
  
• A video explaining proposed improvements at district schools where aging buildings and infrastructure would be addressed
  
  
• A video describing the existing HVAC system at Westfield Community School and how bond funding would support its repair or replacement if voters approve the referendum.

• Proposed Projects Guides for individual schools

• Answers to frequently asked questions

• A tax calculator to estimate the potential financial impact for an individual property

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Early voting is available through Monday, November 2.

Questions about the referendum can be emailed to Bond@d300.org.