St. Charles District 303 undergoing $23 million in facilities upgrades

St. Charles Unit School District 303 has $23 million in construction projects planned or underway this summer in preparation for the 2024-25 school year.

Starting this fall, Fox Ridge Early Childhood Center will transition to an elementary school, early childhood care and Compass Academy will be housed in the Haines Center, and Lincoln Elementary School will house the Transition Program and administrative space.

Considerable construction at multiple sites this summer is required to accommodate the changes, as well as several upgrades to other facilities.

Lincoln Elementary

Construction has begun at Lincoln. A total of $6.5 million in renovations are required to make way for the Transition Program and Professional Learning Center, including more than $5 million in interior construction, $168,000 in asbestos and lead-based paint abatement, and another $1.34 million in site work.

The Transition Program will be housed on the building’s west side, which will require installation of new floors and cabinetry, painting, ADA improvements, and the relocation of walls, plumbing and electrical lines.

On the east side, the gym and adjacent classroom will be demolished and converted to the new Professional Learning Center, with new flooring, finishes and a dropped down acoustical ceiling to be installed. The playground on the south side of the property will become a parking lot.

Haines Center

District 303 has $8.6 million in renovations underway in preparation for the Early Childhood Program at the Haines Center. Work expected to be completed this summer includes building two new adjacent playgrounds on the west side of the school, updating classrooms and installation of new framing, insulation and windows.

Board members approved more than $7 million in construction contracts for the Haines Center in January, including demolition work, a new foundation, new roofing, flooring, painting, upgrades in plumbing, mechanical, electrical and several other services, as well as more than $370,000 in asbestos and lead-based paint abatement.

Other Construction

The remainder of the $23 million is spread between previously planned projects like door access control improvements, safety and security upgrades at several district buildings, air conditioning upgrades, roof improvements, and upgrades to athletic fields, mobile classrooms and playgrounds.

Roofing repairs totaling $1.3 million are scheduled to be completed at East High School this summer. The elevator at East High School also will be improved.

The gym floor at North High School will be completely refinished and repaired where needed for $155,400.

The first phase of air conditioning upgrades began this summer, with $3.6 million in upgrades being installed in six school gyms and cafeterias, with more to be installed in phase two next summer.

Norton Creek Elementary will be getting all new playgrounds, which will cost more than $250,000.

Mobile Classrooms

The mobile classrooms at Davis Elementary school required more than $250,000 in mold abatement, which is now complete.

The mobile classroom units at North and East high schools are scheduled to be demolished this summer.