Please edit your articles before posting...so many punctuation errors and "principal" is the person who runs a school "principle" should have been used in your last quote. Thank you for the info though. I can't wait to see Jefferson's improvement.

Please, I beg you, be modest when designing any new administrative space. I too often see the McMansion mentality kick in when taxing bodies decide the top-brass need new digs. Is a new Board room really necessary or do we really just need a better conference/meeting space. There is typically a huge difference in appearance and cost. Board meetings are currently housed around the district to showcase each school which is a nice concept.

Also...I call Mr. Johnson and Mrs. Intihar on feeding the media a lemon. The current SSC building already puts administration in a school setting where they can look out windows to see children because it shares a campus with Whittier Elementary School.

Most Wheaton residents can hardly pay their taxes. Why are you asking for millions of dollars for a building project that most likely is not needed.
It would be good for these politicians to act responsibly for a change.
What you propose sounds just like the mindset in Washington, DC.

Most Wheaton residents can hardly pay their taxes. Why are you asking for millions of dollars for a building project that most likely is not needed ?
It would be good for these politicians to act responsibly for a change.
What you propose sounds just like the mindset in Washington, DC.

Louise, you hit the nail right on the head. THE COST ESTIMATE (from the same architect) HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED in just 5 years. When Legat presented its numbers at the March 14, 2007 board meeting, a new Jefferson facility with administrative space was projected to cost $14 million (and renovation of the existing building, plus administrative space, was $9.5 million). Now it is $29 million despite the slump in the construction industry. We do not need another Taj Mahal at taxpayer expenes.

Oh, my and just for fun... are there any other readers who recall the "naming contest" for the elementary school back in "THE 50's"? In this regard, "hello fellow Emersonians"! Now, y'al, have a Happy Memorial Day~taking time to remember those that have "served"!

I'm all for consolidating buildings when feasible. As a parent of a Jefferson alumni I understand that there are some huge issues at Jefferson, including adequate parking. I also understand how vulnerable our preschoolers are to disruptions in drop-off and pickup routines. Is there an annual report that would give us an idea of how many lock-downs, weather delays, etc. happen at each building within District 200? What is the impact on the Jefferson students if there is a lock-down at the Admin offices? Or if there is a lock-down at Jefferson, how does affect Admin offices in communicating or working with other schools in the district? How would that change if the facilities were in the same building?

Linda...I hope you are talking about not needing the administrative space. A new or rehabbed (with additions) Jefferson Preschool is needed. I am, of course, speaking as a parent of multiple children who have either attended Jefferson or at least were evaluated through the diagnostic team.

Charlotte, thanks for clarifying that there was more to Mr. Johnson's comment than I read. I still don't buy it. There is no reason why administrators need to be in the same building as preschoolers or any student. If they are truly hand-on, they should be visiting every school in the district to work with students of all ages. If all they need is a reminder of what is important, hang up a photo. Mr. Johnson, if the SSC cannot be modified to an acceptable (?) level than tell us why and ask to build new. Save the sappy stuff for your pancakes.

20+ years ago, Wheaton built preschool rooms in the community center for the park district program. Then the state decided that government subsidized preschool should be in the school districts. Now they want more taxpayer money to build a new facility in the schools. The school district pays preschool teachers using the same salary schedule as all other schools in the district. (Preschool teaching can be worth as much as high school AP classes). I checked once, on average D200 preschool teachers cost three times as much as the park district preschool teachers. I have also been told that park district preschool enrollment is down. (surprise?) It is all taxpayer money. What are we doing?

JanS - your entire post shows how sadly misinformed a large part of the community is about preschool and Jefferson Preschool in particular. Jefferson Preschool serves children with special needs in our community. Children who have everything from minor to global, more serious delays. Some children come directly from Early Intervention, some come when their parents notice something is wrong and Jefferson's diagnostic team evaluates that child to see what is within their means to help. Some are tuition paying students (around $250 per month). "Government Subsidized Preschool"? Seriously? What are you talking about? Children with special needs get funding, yes. I doubt you are trying to say that they shouldn't. Let me also say this. This year one of my children attended Jefferson (on an IEP) and Park District (Wide Horizons) preschool as well, in an effort to get more time for socialization. So I consider myself an expert on this topic of PD teachers (and I use this term loosely) and teachers at Jefferson Preschool. Bottom line: it is apples and oranges. You cannot have a PD teacher teaching kids on the autism spectrum, multiple different types of birth defects, speech delays, etc.. Masters degrees in special education is more like it - heck yeah that's a higher pay grade. Our child's PD preschool teachers were really nice ladies. Teachers? Uh...not so much. Your post just serves to perpetuate ignorance of what Jefferson Preschool actually is to our community.

We don't have children at Jefferson ECC but I have heard from friends about the good things they do there. Our son was on a wait list for their tuition program but was not accepted, they didn't have space at the time.
Charlotte states that: "According to a preliminary budget summary, the cost to build the ECC building would be about $18.3 million." this is for a, "62,000-square-foot facility."
On March 14, 2007 the Board considered a proposal for a 50,000 SF Jefferson ECC for $ 13.5 Million Dollars. So, the cost went from $ 13.5 million to $ 18.3 million for a larger building five years later - the numbers didn't double.

Yes, I understand that special needs children need extra help. But, I doubt if all the students at Jefferson are special needs. I was simply questioning the cost vs. benefits. How many students are at Jefferson? How much does the district pay per student? How many students have tuition waivers and why? And are the students who attend Jefferson better prepared for kindergarten than their peers who attended a different preschool, or who stayed home and learned from their family?

Very interesting proposal, BUT everything cost taxpayers $30,000,000 - an amount not unlike starting of New Huble. Main difference is replacing a building 1/2 my age and likely older than some of board member voting to approve. Another difference not yet mentioned for this proposal was inability to maintain old Huble infrastructure. Oh yea there is the $14,500,000 back from the state - likely has to be committed and the estimated selling price of $500,000. Wow!!!

Proposals have difficult to conceive 6,000 square feet for administration offices! Notice the existing CUSD main office wing is 3,000 feet per floor ..... this could be used as Northwest CUSD administration the next time South Main Street & current West Park office flood from stormwater ? Perhaps a little over-kill in this proposal ?

Proposals include 5,900 square feet for Operations and Maintenance space. This maybe very important enlarged area in scoring a high LEDS environmental rating like new Huble. Not sure of breakdown as Edison Middle School needs only 1,000 square feet for boiler room while Whittier has 1,300 square feet.

Large Motor Skills area of only 4,400 square feet seems small for most important for those many educators agree is the learning of 60% of long term adult skills.

In this overview of proposal no mention of Science, Engineering, Technology and Math supported experiences. At Fermi their learning center of 500 square feet is surrounded by hands-on SETM allowing class instruction as well as self learning. The STEM learning support is said to be CUSD 200 approved, but not yet heard in this project?

First off the price is out of control, the facility seems to be fine as is. There is no need to invest and ask for more tax dollars to fix a parking issue. Next if they are insistent on building the "Taj Mahal" they should consider the investments of the residents who will live across from it and reconsider the plans so the park and green spaces will be the view rather than bricks and mortar. It's already a one way street adding volumes of more commercial traffic will only increase the dangers to the residential neighborhood and potential students.