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A crowd of more than 50 people gathered in the shadow of Carpenter Elementary School on May 15. “Let’s get this started,” Superintendent Dr. Ben Collins enthusiastically shouted, addressing the community members, students, administrators, and District partners. The students, given the green light to show off their outside voices, answered with excited screams. It was now officially a celebration.
To get to this point, it took a tireless effort from the entire community to paint a clear picture of why a referendum was needed, the challenges at our schools, and more importantly, the potential of what our schools could and should look like for our children.
Dr. Collins couldn’t help but reflect on the emotional weight of the moment. “So many, many, many hours, days, and weeks have gone into making this all come to fruition and for today to happen. With pride, he added, “All of you here today, and everyone in Park Ridge and Niles, have students that deserve the very best schools in the country, and we’re going to make that a reality for all of you.”
Carpenter was the perfect place for this ceremony. It is the smallest school in our District, but it had a mighty impact during the beginning stages of planning for the referendum. A passionate group of Carpenter parents organized a Playground Committee in 2023 to fund a new all-inclusive playground for children of all abilities. This initial spark became a powerful symbol of what could be achieved when people came together for their schools. Thank you to Jessica Hoban, Maria Orszula, Zulie Stone, Jeanne Robert, Sarah Baron, and Jasmine Gilliam for their work with this. The Protect D64 projects include a new inclusive playground at every elementary school.
The Referendum Campaign was a collective effort, and we wanted the groundbreaking ceremony to also echo that spirit. Students, their faces beaming with excitement, joined district leaders, board members, and community volunteers, each grasping a shovel, ready to throw fresh dirt in the air.
“Best in class facilities, rigorous, and thoughtful educational goals, amazing educators with experience. This is the real work of this District, and we’re happy to continue this,” said Board President Matt Doubleday. “Thank you to the District administrative team for the work they’ve done and will do. Thank you to the teachers and building administrators who will continue to provide excellent education while navigating the construction with their students.”
Mayor Marty Maloney noted that people move to Park Ridge because of our schools. “I think the community recognizes that, and that’s why this was supported as well as it was,” said Mayor Maloney on the referendum passing with 64% approval. “I’m proud to represent a community that values our schools like we do.”
A special thank you was given to all the volunteers and parent groups who spent a lot of time educating the voters. The Vote Yes group was spearheaded by Erica Green, and she was supported by Ellen Anderson, Lauren Rapisand, Aileen Stonelake, Gaily Muench, Maria Orszula, Melissa Smetana, and Jeanne Robert. Their dedication was extraordinary, and Dr. Collins said to all those who championed our cause, “Every time they drive by a school, they can know, ‘I did that, and I made a kid’s life better, and I made a staff member’s life better.”
A few different companies selected for their excellence and great work will lead the construction work: Nicholas, Ameresco, Midwest Mechanical, Wight and Associates, and Play Illinois.
“We want to thank everybody for all the contributions that they’ve made over the past 14 months,” said Dr. Collins. “It’s really remarkable to think that we are actually at this point today.”
“It’s a great day to be a student, a staff member, and a community member in District 64.”
Children ran to the big pile of dirt sporting “Protect D64” shirts and hard hats and let out a collective YAY as they tossed dirt around with shovels. Just like that, the ground has been broken, and with it comes a new chapter of excellence for Park Ridge-Niles School District 64.
You can view more photos here.
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