District Facility Analysis Report Detailed at Board of Education Meeting

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Watch the video version of this communication here. 

October 11, 2022

Dear District #7 community,  

As part of the District’s new strategic plan, we have been working closely with Ittner Architects to conduct a comprehensive analysis of our buildings and have also brought on consultants from Creative Entourage to conduct community engagement sessions called Engage District #7. The goal of these sessions is to provide an opportunity for meaningful conversations and to gather input from a broad base of the community in order to develop long-range goals and priorities that: 

  • Improve the learning experiences and learning environments for students in a fiscally responsible manner; 
  • Determine how best to address long-term facility and enrollment changes; and 
  • Identify what steps should be taken now and in the future. 

Earlier this evening at the Board of Education meeting, Ittner provided an overview of their analysis of District #7 schools and provided recommendations regarding the needs identified. District #7 schools range in age from 140 years to 14 years, which also is indicative of the needs identified.  

As part of their analysis, Ittner has recommended that District #7 take the following steps: 

  • Identify a location and develop a plan for the replacement of Lincoln Middle School. This historic building has several needs which cannot be addressed while occupied by students.  
  • Expand the Commons at Edwardsville High School to provide seating for additional students. 
  • Determine how to address significant foundation issues at Midway Elementary School. This could include consolidating Midway Elementary and Hamel Elementary into a new elementary school on the Hamel campus. 
  • Identify areas of inequity among our schools and develop a plan to address those inequities over the next several years. 
  • Develop a plan to improve safety and security as it relates to all District #7 schools. This includes a plan for double entry into each of our schools and addressing any site concerns related to student safety, which may include playgrounds. 

Our first round of community engagement sessions begins tomorrow and will continue next week at each of our intermediate schools. We look forward to District #7 stakeholders engaging in dialogue regarding the future of our facilities. We have amazing staff and students, and our desire is to provide them with the best facilities possible as we look to the future of District #7, while preserving our past. You can get the dates for each session in your mailbox and at the dedicated site EngageDistrict7.org. I look forward to seeing you there. 

Sincerely,  

Patrick Shelton, Ed.D.
Superintendent

To watch the Ittner facility presentation from the Board of Education meeting, go to the 47:30 minute mark of this broadcasted meeting: https://www.facebook.com/ECUSD7/videos/776652267105338/