The Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C Board of Education was briefed on its long-term facility plan at a March 7 special session.
No action was taken during the meeting.
The plan was developed out of previous discussions held among a team of community members.
Superintendent Todd Koehl gave kudos to those who were involved in the process.
“They were melded together well and were not afraid to have good conversations,” he said. “It went really, so I was really pleased. It’s a really nice mix who had a lot to bring to the table at the right time.”
About five years ago, Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C purchased roughly 50 acres of land off of Essington Road and Glenwood Avenue in Joliet for an approximate $1.3 million.
“One of the key things, I think, that came out of the whole process was establishing our finalized direction on where we’re going to take pre-k and k because that is so paramount to what we decide about building changes and expansions,” Board Member Jerry Bene said.
Officials had discussed the prospect of separating its pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students into two buildings. The District has been in talks about expanding the two programs, as well as addressing facility needs and bidding out an award for the pre-purchase of a new parking lot.
“We have little hints that things are picking up in different areas,” Koehl said of the new growth. “We’ve gotten some contact from a couple builders about building fees.”
The District receives impact fees as buildings are built, and the administration keeps track of this.
Board Member Sabrina Price wants to see the District develop a more formal enrollment forecast to help guide the Board of Education’s future decisions.
Board Member Kristin Dawn Cross agreed.
“I think that is something that is key that we need, especially in our developing neighborhoods, here, that are being built now,” she said. “That would be, I think, a good indicator for us to see where our enrollment’s going to be at, based on where it is in the district.”
Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C already does some enrollment forecasting. Some school districts will utilize a 10-year forecast to help guide its direction, as well as census data.
Koehl wants officials to consider extending the District’s boundaries to undeveloped properties to help direct future decisions with regard to its land purchase.
“[It’s] a foundation,” Koehl said. “It’s a place to begin.”
Moving forward, the administration intends to put out a request for proposals.
“I think the good news is that we’re in no hurry,” Koehl said. “We have a very rudimentary foundational plan, and these kind of conversations will go how they go as they fit. I think we’re maintaining our goal of really having a long-term plan being strategic in what we do. I think that’s the way we maintain our financial status.”
The Board of Education will consider extending the District’s boundaries to undeveloped properties at its March 21 regular meeting.
Also at the meeting, officials took time to review the District’s strategic vision and beliefs.
The document seeks to outline Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C as a learning community that will be accountable and responsible for fulfilling its mission, which is to achieve excellence and conquer the challenges of the future. It goes on to highlight the District’s core beliefs and values.
Koehl wanted to get input from those on hand for the special meeting regarding what next steps to take with regard to the document and any revisions.
Several officials expressed a liking for the District’s strategic vision and beliefs.
“I like it,” Price said. “I’d love for us to, I mean, I don’t know how much it is in front of people, but I would love for it to be something that everybody is living and breathing all the time. I would also be curious about the strategic indicators, the things that we were looking for urgent gap areas to know how we feel like we’ve done in those areas, since this document was put together.”
Dawn Cross wants to see the District’s long-term plan included as part of the strategic plan.
“I do agree that this is a good document,” Koehl said. “It still fits where we are.”
Koehl directed the Board of Education to send further comments and suggestions to him following the meeting for potential addition or subtraction.
The District’s strategic vision and beliefs is to be reviewed again by the Board of Education at its April 18 regular meeting.