CHICAGO — New Trier Township High School District 203's board of education will discuss borrowing plans at a meeting next week following voter approval of an $89 million bond referendum for renovations to its Winnetka, Ill. campus.
"Members of our community have taken excellent care of our schools for more than 100 years, and this vote means that we can provide accessible, efficient, safe and modern facilities to support our nationally recognized academic programs into the 21st century," district superintendent Linda Yonke said in a statement.
Proceeds of the bonds approved by voters in the wealthy suburbs north of Chicago would finance the replacement of three adjacent sections of the campus that were in need of repairs.
"The project will allow the school to replace the outdated classrooms in those sections as well as add more than 25 new core academic classrooms and three science labs," a statement said. The projects will allow the district to make the campus fully accessible to people with disabilities, avoid costly repairs, and expand engineering and technology programming.
The projects will be funded with bond proceeds and $11 million from reserves. The last bond referendum to win approval from voters for projects at the Winnetka high school, one of the top ranked in the state, was in 1954, the district said. Voters rejected a larger $174 million referendum in 2010 that would have also funded a new field house, gym facilities, and parking.
