ROCHELLE — At its monthly meeting Tuesday, the Rochelle Elementary School District conducted a public hearing concerning its intent to sell $4 million in working cash fund bonds related to upcoming work at Tilton Elementary School.

The district is currently in the process of working towards $14-16 million worth of needed renovations at Tilton School after finding in a health life safety evaluation that an estimated $7.9 million worth of work is required at the school for those issues. Health life safety concerns the physical safety of the building for students and staff to occupy. The district plans to issue bonds for that money and wants to utilize an additional $6-8 million from its reserves for other improvements involving security and spatial concerns including its pick-up and drop-off areas. The work will be done in a three-year plan, beginning this year.

The Illinois State Board of Education recently returned the district's health life safety survey and only approved $4 million of the $7.9 million requested by the district. To capture the needed funds to complete all of the work at Tilton School, the board chose to plan on the working cash issuance to make up the difference in funding after the ISBE decision came back. The working cash issuance will not cost any additional fees and both fundings will be combined into one sale. The working cash issuance will also give the district more flexibility in paying for repairs and construction.

Board President Trisha Vaughn presented an update on plans that have come out of the board's facility committee meetings.

Asbestos removal will take place this summer at Tilton School in one hallway and two classrooms after students leave for the summer. Parking and drop-off changes in a pavement project will be completed this summer on the south side of the building, where a cars and bus lane will be. An ongoing geothermal project will continue throughout this summer to complete climate control work at the building.

"We have addressed most of the things the facilities committee had questions on regarding the parking lot work," District Business Manager Kevin Dale said. "We've communicated with the city and made some changes that it asked about and that proposal is going back to architects to see what changes we need to make to get crosswalks and everything else squared away."

For longer-term plans at Tilton School, Vaughn said the district is tying in health life safety needs with recommended security enhancements and staff needs and wants, namely limited space in the building. The district has looked at designs and ideas with various options for the facelift of the existing building and additional space to be added in an expansion with additional classrooms, multi-purpose room, gym, library and music room space.

"We're also looking at complying with ADA and technology and climate control," Vaughn said.

Dale said he hopes the long-term Tilton work will be finished in the summer of 2026 for the start of the 2026-2027 school year. Bids would be in January of 2025 and renovation and new construction would be tied in for the same time to start early in 2025. The project would take 12-14 months. Tilton School was built in 1949.

"I think it's a well-needed project," Board Member Dave Casey said. "It should set us up pretty good in the future at Tilton for a long time to meet the needs of our community. It's a good project going forward."

Vaughn also talked about the district's maintenance building on Cherry Avenue that needs replacing. The district is currently considering solutions including sharing space with the Rochelle Township High School District, or a new building at one of its properties.

"We've already worked with the high school district on trying to come up with solutions and possible ways to move forward so we're ready for the summer and a safe environment," Dale said.

Retirees

During the meeting, Superintendent Jason Harper recognized retiring staff members including Merilee Loggins (paraprofessional, seven years), Bob Messer (maintenance, 11 years), Roger Johanning (maintenance, 17 years), Linda Emshoff (paraprofessional, 19 years), Mark Mathieu (fifth grade teacher, 10 years), Katie Queller-Zilis (math interventionist, 21 years), and Sheri Klindera (teacher and curriculum coach, 36 years).

The elementary district will be losing a total of 121 years of service from retiring employees, including 67 years of service by certificated employees and 54 years of service by non-certificated employees.

Personnel

The board unanimously approved personnel changes including the employment for the 2024-2025 school year of Kaylee Bearden (fourth grade teacher, Tilton), and support staff resignations of Heather Bradshaw (paraprofessional, Lincoln School), Cathy Henson (lunch supervisor), Judith Fulgencio (paraprofessional, Tilton), Cynthia Lopez (paraprofessional, RMS) and Mariangelis Ortiz Nazario (paraprofessional, Tilton), the employment of Heather Bumber (paraprofessional, Lincoln), Antonio Ruiz Fernandez (ESL/bilingual teacher, Tilton), Luis Daniel Garcia Diez (ESL/bilingual teacher, RMS), Ana Marie Martin Villamor (ESL/bilingual teacher, RMS), Melanie Nantz (cafeteria substitute, Lincoln) and Milay De La Rosa Bruceta (paraprofessional, Stepping Stones Preschool), the retirement of Roger Johanning (maintenance) and the resignation of Wrestling Coach Anthony Grek.