Dear Lockport Township High School District Community Members,

Early voting begins tomorrow for the Tuesday, March 19 Primary Election. Over the next two weeks, a number of resources will continue to be available for community members to learn more about the Lockport Township High School District 205 Central Campus Referendum. All of these events and resources provide accessible information as you consider your vote:

Community Conversations:

• Monday, March 4, 7:00 pm: Homer Junior High, Cafeteria

• Tuesday, March 12, 5:30 pm: Fairmont School

• Wednesday, March 13, 7:00 pm: Richland School (Richland School District & Chaney Monge School District)

Central Campus Tours

• Wednesday, March 6 at 6:30 pm

• Wednesday, March 13 at 6:30 pm

OnLine Community Conversation

• Monday, March 11 at 7:00 pm via the www.lths.org YouTube Channel

Web-Site Resources:

LTHS D205 Referendum Page

LTHS D205 Central Campus Page

One Minute Informational Videos:

Central Campus History

What is the Referendum

Central is Central

On behalf of the Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education, our emails, offices, and phones remain open for any conversations or questions you might have. Thank you to the many community members who have reached out for information, toured Central Campus, reviewed information, and met for further dialogue on this important community topic and future proposition for our students.

All the best,
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Lockport Township High School District Community Members,

As you go into your weekend, I would recommend that you mark Monday, February 26 at 7:00 pm on your calendar for an online discussion we are calling Making Sense of the Dollars. To join this online discussion go to the LTHS D205 district website for our YouTube channel. The session will focus strictly on school finances and the realities of school budgets and financial systems. Our Director of Business Services, Stefanie Croix, will provide important information and resources as well as responding to your questions.

Also, if you have a minute, take a look at this video, What is the Referendum? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T42uyusFpL8

School finances and the way that schools are required to set up their finances can be complex and complicated. We hope we can make it simple on Monday night. Often we are asked about capital projects at Central Campus. Most of our expenses at Central Campus over the past decade have come out of our Operations and Maintenance fund rather than our Capital Projects fund due to aging mechanical systems and building components. We are asking the community to approve a significant renovation and preservation of Central Campus to end a cycle of fixing and repairing expense for a more durable, long-lasting solution.

Every month, we publish our Maintenance Report in our Board agenda. It contains the story of the repairs we do continuously at Central Campus and the implied material & manpower costs of those repairs. Our hope is to create a situation where the building is more efficient, and we can prevent any major system failure.

I pulled the maintenance report for the month of June 2023 just as an example of the repairs completed at Central Campus in that month alone:

• June 2023 Central Campus Maintenance

• Replace 3-inch feedwater pipe to boiler #2.

• Replace leaky drain line from the third floor to the first floor for the janitors closet slop sinks.

• Replace the sand in the pool filter.

• Replace leaky feedwater line in pool pump room.

• Hydro Jet kitchen drain line going from kitchen to sump pump on corner of 12th and Jefferson.

• Replace stair treads from first floor to third floor by door number three.

• Replace classroom doors in rooms 104A and 104B.

• Abate second floor hallway and install new floor tile from main entrance to auditorium.

• Install AC in the Academy classroom.

• Create a small classroom in room 110.

• Create a small office for special education in an old storage room.

• New furniture for The Port.

• Building automation system improvements.

• Install a new fire alarm panel.

• Install new jockey pump and fire pump controller.

• Numerous inspections including the fire alarm system, sprinkler system, boilers, bleachers, elevators, emergency lights, AED’s, kitchen exhaust hoods, fire extinguishers, insurance company annual facility inspection, annual Fire Marshall inspection, annual ROE inspection, etc.…

• Install TPO membrane roofing over the section of roof going over the courtyard to the center of the building.

• Clean all outside air grills, rent a lift to access second and third floor grills. This improves our ability to get enough fresh air into the room and keeps the rooms from overheating in the winter months.

• Hang multiple whiteboards in all the math classrooms.

• Annual preventative maintenance work in the boiler room.

• Change filters on 50-unit ventilators and 12-air handling units.

This is just one month of work out of our Operations and Maintenance fund. A full renovation and preservation of Lockport Central has the promise of more modern, durable, and efficient mechanical and fixture systems.

We hope to see you online Monday, February 29 at 7:00 pm.

All the best,
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T42uyusFpL8

Dear Members of the Lockport Township High School District 205 Community,

Over the past few years, our construction trades and engineering classes at Central Campus have partnered with our Media Center to select, curate, print, and frame historic photographs. If you have toured Central Campus, you have seen their printing and framing work adorning the hallways. Our LTHS D205 Public Relations Department created this short, 1 minute video to capture this work and create a montage of Central’s history. Click here and enjoy!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-jm2kgLSls

As always, our LTHS D205 website and YouTube channel provide all community members with a valuable resource for information on the LTHS D205 Central Campus Referendum. We also will continue presentations, live in the community and online, to allow folks access to this information. I would recommend the following:

Visit our www.lths.org Central Campus Referendum Page: https://www.lths.org/o/lthsd/page/referendum

Tune in via our YouTube Channel to two important upcoming events:

• Tuesday, February 20 Board of Education meeting at 7:00 pm: We will discuss the final WJE forensic architects report on ceilings at Central and what a fund balance actually is in school finance.

• Monday, February 26: We will hold a live, online townhall at 7:00 pm to present Making Sense of the Dollars and answer your questions about district finances, bond referendum financing, and anticipated renovation costs. The YouTube link will be released on our website and social media on 2/26.

Participate in-person at the following upcoming events:

• Central at 6:30 pm Tour, Wednesday, February 21: Every Wednesday we provide tours of Lockport Central. Enter the main entrance on Jefferson St. So far we have had almost 700 community members attend Central Campus tours.

• Hadley Middle School Community Conversation, Thursday, February 22 at 7:00 pm: We will present Central Campus Referendum information in the Hadley Middle School Gym in Homer Glen and answer community questions.

On behalf of the Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education, thank you for taking advantage of any of these resources to deepen your understanding of Central Campus and what this bond referendum is asking the community to decide. Our Board remains committed to preservation of a historic building, renovation as a lower cost option to new construction, and unity in the community with a facility that all future Porters can enjoy.

All the best,
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Members of the Lockport Township High School District 205 Community,

The Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education sees transparency as one of our most important values. I hope this letter introduces you to some of the ways that you can easily access information about our district in a transparent and forthright manner. Certainly, online information is helpful. But I always feel that old fashion meetings, sitting down together, having a cup of coffee, talking through issues is the most direct way for folks to have a dialogue. Our doors, emails, and phones are open to you. Email me at rmcbride@lths.org or call me at 815-588-8105 if you would like to go deeper into important issues in our school community with Board members or leaders in our high school district.

Another way we are transparent about the March 19 Central Campus Referendum is with Community Conversations that are open to all members of the public. On Monday, February 12 at 7:00 pm we will hold a Community Conversation in District 91 at the Kelvin Grove Middle School LRC, enter Door 4. This will be followed up by a tour of Central Campus on Wednesday, February 14 at 6:30 pm as well as a Community Conversation on Saturday, February 17 at 10:00 am at the Lockport Branch of the White Oak Public Library. These events are designed to give all community members an opportunity to access Central Campus, learn more about the Central Campus Referendum, and ask questions in-person. We are presenting in our elementary school feeder districts over the next few weeks because this Referendum will directly impact the educational experience and facilities that our K-8 learners will have in their first year of high school.

I would also encourage all community members to visit our www.lths.org website. There are three particular parts of this website where you can find updated, transparent, and clear information about the Central Campus Referendum, Central Campus Updates, and School Finances:

Central Campus Referendum: Please visit this page for information about what the LTHS D205 Board is proposing: https://www.lths.org/o/lthsd/page/referendum

Central Campus Updates: Please use this page to learn more about the progress towards repairing ceilings at Central and past maintenance, repair, and inspection efforts: https://www.lths.org/page/central-campus-updates

Board Docs: Use this web page to view past and future Board meeting agendas where every month in the Treasurer’s Report we provide the public with our full financial records: https://go.boarddocs.com/il/lths/Board.nsf/Public

I would like to share with the public a table that might help you consider the LTHS D205 financial performance in comparison to other township high school districts of our size. At times we have received questions about using our entire operating budget and cash reserves to renovate Central Campus or we have received questions using annual operating funds to make major renovations. The State of Illinois sets an adequacy rate for how much it believes a district should spend annually to meet its needs. Lockport Township High School operates 16% below what the State believes we should spend. Additionally, our tax rate remains the lowest in comparison to 17 other high school districts, and our per pupil expenditures are low in comparison to township high school districts of similar size.

The Central Campus Referendum proposes a strategy used by many homeowners and businesses when seeking to make significant home or building improvements. Our proposal is to continue a lean operating budget as indicated above. As a matter of fact, our Board of Education approved in December 2023 an abatement in the annual tax levy to discount property taxes in 2024. While maintaining lean operations, this referendum proposes taking on manageable debt payments over 25 years through the sale of municipal bonds in order to renovate Central now and prevent future, costly expenses while providing students from 7 feeder districts access to modernized facilities in a historic setting.

All the best,
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Members of the Lockport Township High School District 205 Community,

Memory. Place. Both of these were on the minds of the people who toured Lockport Central Campus this past week on Wednesday, January 31. Almost 70 community members, young and old, alumni and current students, parents and community members, toured with architects from DLA to learn more about Central and proposed renovations. People asked, “Is the spiral staircase to the pool still there?” Sadly, it was removed many years ago. One couple returned to Room 314 where they met for the first time as freshman students. Now, they have been married for 14 years. Community members commented on the tributes in the Veterans Foyer to Porters past who served our Nation. They asked if the pit gym at Central would be preserved in any renovation, and the answer is, yes, it is part of the history and memories made in the building. The Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education has established the following rationale for renovating Central Campus:

• Preservation of a historic and significant building in the history of the district and community;

• Renovation as a lower cost option to high new construction costs and sensitive to taxpayers;

• Timeliness in order to meet the needs of future freshman students who will require a viable building located in our community for their 9th grade education;

• Feasibility of a project that avoids the many complexities associated with new construction either at the district’s property in Homer Glen or on the grounds of East Campus;

• Unity within the community through a focus on a school building in the geographic center of the district.

I would encourage you to visit Lockport Central yourself. We provide tours of the building every Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm, and this week, Wednesday, February 7, is another opportunity. Also, I would suggest you visit the information we have provided about Central Campus on our LTHS D205 District website: https://www.lths.org/o/lthsd/page/referendum

The question the Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education is asking the community on the March 19, 2024 election is if Central should be fully renovated and preserved to last another 50 to 70 years. The proposed referendum seeks voter approval to finance such a renovation by selling municipal bonds that would raise $85 million for major improvements to Central and be paid off over a 25 year period. Renovation would take place over 5 years so that students could attend Central while the work is completed. The proposed improvements involve costs well beyond the annual operating budget of the Lockport Township High School District 205, and as such, they require voter approval. Annually, the Board has spent approximately $500,000 to $1 million for improvements and fixes to building systems at Central. Tinkering and fixing can only last so long before major systems age out and fail. Replacing major systems like the roof, electrical wiring, boilers, and windows, improving Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility and code compliance, and modernizing unused spaces to support classroom use all present costs, if done completely over a five-year period, require voter approval. We hope that you take advantage of tours and information on our website to understand what is possible at Lockport Central to preserve and continue memory and place.

All the best,
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Members of the Lockport Township High School District 205 Community,

This week there will be a number of opportunities for you to engage in the conversation about renovating and preserving Lockport Central Campus either from the comfort of your own home or through a tour. On Monday, January 29 at 7:00 pm, we will hold an online town hall discussion through our YouTube channel.

Click here to join: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9glHWNSyXVs

Participants will have the opportunity to see and hear an informational presentation and ask questions. We hope to make it as convenient and interactive as possible.

On Wednesday, January 31 we will have a special Central at 6:30 pm tour. We will conduct our tour with architects from DLA. This will give members of the community a chance to ask questions and learn more about the concept DLA has presented to our Board of Education for renovation and preservation of Central. DLA has a deep knowledge of all of our facilities, and they have completed several projects like the renovation of the Port at East Campus, the addition of the Science and Math wing at East in 2017, and the addition of the East Campus Auditorium. In a renovation or construction project, architects are important advisors, and they provide the blueprints for the project. DLA provides cost opinions, expertise in permitting and building code law, estimates of legal costs, predictions about possible cost overruns, and an understanding of specialty engineers and contractors that might be needed. They primarily participate in the planning process and oversight of a project once it is under way.

The real cost of a school renovation project comes from the actual construction. In our conceptual plan, we will interview companies to select a construction manager. Such a manager serves as a general contractor responsible for the bidding process, build timeline, and hiring all of the contractors a renovation project will need. The proposed renovation of Central will require construction companies to engage in the competitive bidding process for many parts of this proposed renovation. The bidding process is a public process, required by law, transparent, and bids must be approved in public at a Board meeting. All of this is to give the public access to the actual construction costs and plans. Since the proposed renovation at Central has many parts, HVAC replacement, roof repair and replacement, electrical updates, window replacement, code compliance, and Americans with Disabilities Act improvements, each of these parts will require different bids and specialty contractors. General classroom remodeling will also fall under the same contracting and bid process. While the process can be slow and cumbersome at times, it is in place to always allow the public access to the construction costs and the companies a Board approves for a project. Also, school renovation projects, because of their complexity, create opportunities for local businesses to bid and seek the work that the project requires. Central Campus was built by the community in 1909, and there would be opportunities to contribute again. Finally, we hope to make students part of the process in order to earn the Illinois Career Pathways endorsement through earning 60 hours of internship or shadowing experience in career pathways.

This week’s Central at 6:30 pm tour will give you a chance to learn more about this process and dig into the specifics of what a renovation will look like and feel like. Also, it will be an opportunity to dialogue with our architects directly about their understanding of the building and recommendations for what needs to be updated and completed.

We hope to see you online Monday night, January 29 at 7:00 pm and in person at Central Campus on Wednesday night, January 31 at 6:30 pm.

All the best,
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Members of the Lockport Township High School District 205 Community,

Please accept my invitation to another Central at 6:30. Like last Wednesday, this Wednesday, January 24, Lockport Township High School District 205 leaders will open up Central Campus for community members to tour the building. The tour can be as short or as long as you like. Our goal is to let you explore the building and learn as much as you can. The tour starts at 6:30 pm and please enter the main entrance at 1222 Jefferson Street, Lockport.

Thank you to the community members who attended Central at 6:30 last week. People explored many aspects of the building, took photographs, asked questions, visited the pool, strolled hallways, and viewed the work underway at Central. You can decide for yourself what renovations are necessary at Central Campus.

As we tour, a natural question came up about the cost of renovating and preserving Lockport Central and comparing that type of work to building an entirely new structure, either as a new freshman building or an addition to Lockport East Campus. So let’s explore the costs of new construction.

As many of you know from the gas pump to the grocery store, the cost of everything has increased over the past three years. Construction costs - materials and labor - have increased as well. Our district has a long and successful relationship with DLA Architects, and their knowledge of our buildings has been essential in our work with facilities. Over the past few years, they have completed many new construction projects, either building new schools or adding to existing schools. Here is just a sampling of their work:

2020 Washington Elementary School, Schiller Park, IL (New School) 68,000 sq. ft. $319/square foot

2022 Lake Zurich Middle School South, Lake Zurich, IL (New Addition) $6,500 sq. ft. $450/square foot

2023 Pennoyer Elementary School, Norridge, IL (New Addition) 16,000 sq. ft. $472/square foot

2023 Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Flossmoor, IL (New Addition) 42,700 sq. ft. $540/square foot

The size and type of school building or new addition impacts the scope and cost of any new construction. However, this short illustration indicates how these costs are rising over the past three years, and the signs are that they will continue to rise. And the costs above are only for construction costs, labor and material. These costs do not include contingencies for sudden changes in costs or needed changes in architectural plans. They also do not include the costs of fees, legal work, inspections, testing services, permits, construction managers, or unexpected costs.

The proposed renovation and preservation at Lockport Central Campus would create 216,000 square feet of school space, adding 19% more usable space through replacement of old, bulky, less efficient mechanicals and modernizing classrooms as well as repurposing presently unused spaces. Additionally, a renovation would ensure that major mechanical and building systems are ready for another 50 years of use and will not fail in the short-term. Our estimate for this renovation of major mechanical and electrical elements, increasing accessibility, improving safety, and modernizing classrooms is $393/square feet. This estimate includes all contingencies, fees, adjustments for inflation, and additional costs.

Throughout the Fall of 2023 as our Board of Education considered renovation options for Central Campus, cost remained an important consideration. The Board rejected two conceptual plans from DLA Architects that would have required the district to finance anywhere from $115 million to $95 million through municipal bonds. Ultimately, the Board took a more conservative, focused approach and approved a conceptual plan to improve all major mechanicals, life safety, and accessibility systems as well as improving classroom spaces.

The Board is seeking approval from the community to finance $85 million to renovate and preserve Central.

In comparison, as new construction costs continue to climb, those costs do not include important issues such as site improvement and preparation. Currently, the two pieces of property that the District owns, one behind East Campus and the other in Homer Glen, would need significant improvements. A natural creek runs behind East Campus and any new construction on the site would require work to ensure that water runoff would not impact the nearby neighborhood. In Homer Glen, our property does not have water or sewage, and issues related to water and sewage in the Village remain uncertain. This type of civil engineering would add to the costs of any new construction. Site feasibility is a serious concern for any new construction project to address the facilities needs in our district.

Certainly, community pride and history are a part of renewing Central Campus. But our Board is also concerned about minimizing the cost to you. The Board remains focused on the following priorities:

• Preservation of a historic and significant building in the history of the district and community;

• Renovation as a lower cost option to high new construction costs and sensitive to taxpayers;

• Timeliness in order to meet the needs of future freshman students who will require a viable building located in our community for their 9th grade education;

• Feasibility of a project that avoids the many complexities associated with new construction either at the district’s property in Homer Glen or on the grounds of East Campus;

• Unity within the community through a focus on a school building in the geographic center of the district.

We hope to see you on January 24 at 6:30 pm at Lockport Central Campus or on a future Wednesday.

All the best, 
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Members of the Lockport Township High School District 205 Community,

Please accept my invitation to something we call Central at 6:30.

On Wednesday, January 17 at 6:30 pm, and every Wednesday after, we will be leading tours of Lockport Central Campus. People will gather at the Main Entrance to Central at 1222 Jefferson Street, Lockport. I hope you will accept this invitation on January 17 or some Wednesday in the future to explore firsthand this 114-year old school building that has seen every Porter walk through its hallways. You can decide for yourself if Lockport Central should remain as a school.

How did the Lockport Township High School District 205 Board of Education reach a consensus to place Central Campus’ future in your hands and on the March 19, 2024 ballot? 

Over a four-year period, starting with a structural analysis of the building in 2020, the Board explored many options. The 2020 structural analysis proposed almost $500,000 in repairs that were completed in 2021. It also suggested more substantial renovation needs if the building were to continue as a modern school.  In 2022, the Board commissioned a demographic projection that indicated that our high school district will not grow or shrink dramatically in student numbers over the next ten years, but the needs and type of students attending our district would vary from what it has been in the past. In response, the first option the Board discussed was whether or not to continue with a freshman-only building or ask the community again to build a new, traditional 9-12 high school to replace Central and split the district between two 9-12 high school buildings. To decide which option, our Board consulted the academic performance data of freshman students, and those results overwhelmingly supported the benefits of students from 7 public school feeder districts coming to a freshman center before entering a large high school space at East Campus. Also, the projected minimal growth of our student population did not seem to justify two, 9-12 high school buildings.

Next, the Board reviewed options that had been presented to the community in the past through referendums in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2008, 2009, and 2011. In those years the community reviewed new construction plans ranging from building a 471,000 square foot, grades 9-12 high school to constructing a smaller 200,000 square foot freshman-only building. The community rejected these options, voting “no” on all six referendums. Still, our Board reexamined the option for new construction, asking DLA Architects to put previous building plans into today’s cost figures. Our architects priced a new 471,000 square foot high school at $185,000,000 and a smaller building of 200,000 square feet at $145,000,000. For our Board of Education, these options seemed too great a cost burden for today’s taxpayers even if financed through bonds.

In the Fall of 2022, the Board turned to an advisory committee of citizens to ask them about the option of renovating Central Campus. This committee endorsed exploring what possibilities and costs would be involved in such a renovation and preservation project. During the entire 2023 calendar year, the Board publicly explored renovation with our architects, students, staff, and community workshops, Board presentations, and tours that brought over 300 people through Central Campus as well as sending a direct mailer to every district household asking citizens to participate in answering this question: Should Lockport Central remain a school? 

Finally, our Board reviewed cost options to renovate Central Campus. In September 2023, DLA Architects presented options that ranged from $95 million to $115 million, and those estimates included significant construction of a new atrium entrance and new common spaces throughout the building. In response, the Board again sought options to lower the cost burden on our community, and Board members eventually endorsed an $85 million renovation and preservation plan that would focus on improving at Central all of the major mechanical systems, Americans with Disabilities Act compliance, life safety and building security features, and infrastructure needs while also focusing primarily on classroom modernization and remodeling. It is this scaled back proposal that is on the ballot for the March 19, 2024 election, asking voters for permission to finance a renovation of Central Campus through municipal bonds.

In focusing on this final option after a long, public process of option consideration, the Board articulated the following priorities:

• Preservation of a historic and significant building in the history of the district and community;

• Renovation as a lower cost option to high new construction costs and sensitive to taxpayers;

• Timeliness in order to meet the needs of future freshman students who will require a viable building located in our community for their 9th grade education;

• Feasibility of a project that avoids the many complexities associated with new construction either at the district’s property in Homer Glen or on the grounds of East Campus;

• Unity within the community through a focus on a school building in the geographic center of the district.

We hope to see you on January 17 at 6:30 pm at Lockport Central Campus or on a future Wednesday.

Sincerely, 
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Lockport Township High School District 205 Parents and Guardians,

One month ago today we resumed in-person learning for all of our freshman students after relocating Lockport Central Campus to Lincoln-Way North. Today is a time to reflect on what has been miraculously accomplished in 30 days and be grateful for the many people whose efforts made such a difference. Also, I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on Lockport Central Campus and the anticipated duration of our stay at Lincoln-Way North. Daily updates are available on our website at a page dedicated to Central: https://www.lths.org/page/central-campus-updates.

On Wednesday, November 8, a small group of Lockport Township District 205 and Lincoln Way District 210 leaders stood at the entrance of Lincoln-Way North High School and asked ourselves if we could reopen the building for 1,000 students in a week. And one week later the building was reopened. Truly, it was like a Phoenix. The combined efforts of Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 and our many staff members are too numerous to recount, but for me were most symbolized as I watched 10 semi-tractor trailers lumbering towards North with the entire contents of Lockport Central inside of them. Now those contents are unpacked, working, and creating classrooms. In the past month, we have established Wi-Fi service, improvised Foods and Arts classrooms, made partnerships with local fire and police departments, developed a great collaboration with the Will County Sheriff, re-established hot food service, and worked with the City of Lockport and Will County to ensure that our School Resource Officers can operate at North. 

On Monday night, December 18, we will brief the Board on the duration of our stay at North. The truth is that duration remains unknown. 

WJE Forensic Architects coded most classrooms at Lockport Central "green" with moderate to no risk in terms of ceiling construction. Three rooms were coded "red" and 14 were coded "orange" along with some hallways. Our Board has committed to replacing and repairing all red and orange ceilings before students and staff return. To do so, architects must create plans and specifications, contractors must have a chance to competitively bid on the project, and the project itself must align with the proposed construction and renovation of Central Campus if a March 19, 2024 bond referendum passes. This leaves many unknowns to finalize in terms of timeline and costs. 

We also want to be considerate of the wear and tear, physically and emotionally, of set up and take down, of moving again, even if to return to Central Campus. Opportunities like Spring Break or Summer are horizon events that seem the most logical to return to Central if we plan to be back in the building to finish the school year or for the Fall. For now, we will continue to move forward on architecture plans, bid specifications, building inspections, and competitive bidding to prepare for the work needed to return to Central Campus. We will work to make the student and staff experience at North as meaningful and supportive as possible. Each step of the way, I will keep our community informed on our progress. 

Sincerely, 
Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

On Wednesday, November 15, we welcomed the Class of 2027 at Lincoln-Way North High School to resume in-person learning. Thank you to LTHS bus drivers, staff & Foundation Board members for decorating the hallways and all of the work to be able to re-open a vacant school building in one week. Please remind your freshmen student to dress appropriately for the weather as the arrival and dismissal protocols may require them to be outside slightly longer than they are used to. Watch this video as we document the move from Central to Lincoln-Way North and a recap of their week.

As we move forward with school operations at Lincoln-Way North, we will continue to communicate with you and update the Central Campus Updates web page as needed with important and helpful information. While freshmen students are temporarily at Lincoln-Way North, the question continues to stand for the community regarding the future of Central Campus. This week, we produced a video with Dr. Bob McBride, LTHS D205 Superintendent, to remind the community that while WJE has done ceiling inspections and openings to the 114-year-old building, we need your help. In this video, Dr. McBride will give you an inside look at the current status of the classrooms at Central Campus and share an update on the building. To watch the video, visit our YouTube Channel.  

Wear Green: We encourage staff and all students to wear green on Wednesday, November 15 for the first day of in-person learning for the Class of 2027 at Lincoln-Way North High School. 

Bell Schedule: The new and temporary bell schedule is for Central Campus students only. As of November 15, freshmen will no longer have a late start on Wednesdays. The shortened schedule allows freshmen to have in-person learning at Lincoln-Way North while avoiding disruption of the bell schedule for students at East Campus. Students at East Campus will continue to have a late start on Wednesdays as they have all year.

Traffic Flow on Wednesdays & Drop Offs: Please note that students, parents/guardians, and staff will experience a significant increase in traffic pattern/congestion at East Campus particularly on Wednesdays to allow for Freshman students who get dropped off by their parents. Freshman students who typically get dropped off by their parents/guardians at Central will have two options: 1. Freshman students can be dropped off at East Campus after 7:15 AM near the doors at the East Campus Auditorium on the Farrell Road side. Buses will begin to leave for Lincoln-Way North High School at approximately 7:35 AM. Freshmen will wait (a few minutes) for a shuttle bus to go directly from East Campus to Lincoln-Way North High School. If there is inclement weather, freshmen can wait inside the East Auditorium for a shuttle bus to arrive and depart to Lincoln-Way North. 2. Freshman students can also be dropped off at Lincoln-Way North High School Main Entrance as early as 8 AM and sandwich board signs will be available outside the campus for directions. Parents/Guardians can line up in the front of the Lincoln-Way North High School building to wait for their child at the end of the day in the same place they drop them off and students can be picked up at 2:00 PM. 

Freshman Walkers: Morning: Students who are walkers can continue to walk to Central Campus and enter at Door 3 on 12th Street. The doors will open at 7:20 AM and freshmen can wait in the Veterans Foyer for a shuttle bus to depart to Lincoln-Way North High School. The Central Campus shuttle bus will depart at approximately 7:30 AM to Lincoln-Way North High School. During dismissal time, freshman walkers will be the last round to be dismissed and wait for a shuttle bus at the Performing Arts Center doors at Lincoln-Way North. All other freshmen who didn't board at Central Campus will be dismissed at Lincoln-Way North and shuttled back to East and wait for their regular bus route to go home. Freshman students who are closest to East Campus can walk to East and get a shuttle bus to Lincoln-Way North High School. At the end of the day, they will be assigned a bus to East Campus. Once they arrive at East Campus, they can walk home. 

Freshman Bus Riders: Students who typically take the bus will continue to ride their regular bus routes. On Wednesdays, freshmen will not have a late start and they will follow their regular (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday) bus route schedule in the morning to allow them to start their day at Lincoln-Way North and follow the new bell schedule. 

Transportation: LTHS D205 bus drivers are committed to transporting freshmen students to Lincoln-Way North and the district will have 22 shuttle buses (daily) to provide transportation to freshmen families at no additional cost. The shuttle buses and bus drivers are not contracted outside of LTHS D205, they are current hires by employees of the district. If a parent/guardian has a question regarding transportation, the Transportation Department phone number is 815-588-8900.

Food Services: The District will be providing a limited number of cold meals (cold sandwiches or wraps) for students to purchase. In addition, cold meals will be provided for all students approved for free or reduced-priced meals. Otherwise, students are encouraged to plan on bringing a bagged lunch.

Central Campus Locker Items Retrieval: Student locker items will be given to freshman students at Lincoln-Way North.

Lockport Academy & CCC: The Lockport Academy will have815 three classrooms that will be moved to Lincoln-Way North with our staff and the district will provide transportation. The CCC will remain at the Lockport Township Building Community Center for in-person learning. -

General Questions: If parents/guardians have any general questions, contact the District Office at 815-588-8100.

Dear Lockport Township High School District 205 Parents and Guardians,

While Veterans Day is on Saturday, November 11, Porters watched a video during Compass today which featured two LTHS Alumni who are veterans and shared information about an important event that the community should know about. I encourage you to watch the video by visiting, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po9YfTjF8bY. On November 11, we honor the millions of American military men and women who have valiantly fought to build, improve, and defend our nation's freedom.  

As we continue to work and plan for the week ahead of November 13, we ask for your continued collaboration and patience as the Class of 2027 relocates to Lincoln-Way North High School on Wednesday, November 15. East Campus will have more traffic as 900+ freshmen be on campus each morning to transit to Lincolnway-North High School. We will continue to communicate with you and update the Central Campus Updates web page as needed with important and helpful information. Please take note of the following details:

Central Campus Building Updates:

• Intergovernmental Lease Agreement

  • On Thursday, November 9, the Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education approved the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) to allow LTHS the use of Lincoln-Way North while repairs are being made to Lockport Central Campus. On Monday, November 20, the IGA will be presented to the LTHS Board of Education for approval at the monthly Board of Education Meeting.  
    

• LTHS Emergency Board of Education Meeting Livestream 

  • Nearly 5,000 viewers have watched the livestream of the LTHS Board of Education Meeting that took place on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

• School Plans for Central Campus Students Only 

  • Monday, November, 13: Central Campus students will be eLearning.

  • Tuesday, November 14: Central Campus students will have no school. Set up day for Central staff members.

  • Wednesday, November 15: First day of in-person learning for Central Campus students at Lincoln-Way North at a regular bell schedule (no late start). More information will released next week.

• Transportation

  • We will provide bus transportation to our Central Campus students to and from Lincoln-Way North High School. Additional information will be provided as we continue with our planning. In the meantime, please watch this video of their bus route from Central Campus to Lincoln-Way North High School.

• Lunch Service

  • Quest will be preparing cold meals for Lincoln-Way North out of our Central cafeteria (sandwiches or wraps).  Next week, we will provide meals for all students approved for free or reduced-price meals. All other students should plan on bringing bagged lunches next week.  

• A Look Inside of Lincoln-Way North High School

  • We have produced this short video of a look inside Lincoln-Way North High School for Central Campus students and parents/guardians to see. While some images of the video are in the current status of workers cleaning and moving in furniture, we thought that it was important for students to see their temporary location for in-person learning.

• Traveling Students

  • Central Campus traveling students have the option to attend East Campus classes in-person and be stationed in the Maroon Room to complete their eLearning classes with their Central Campus teachers.

  • East Campus students who travel to Central for in-person classes should go to the Maroon Room to join their online Central classes.

• Lockport Academy & CCC

  • The Lockport Academy and CCC will meet at the Lockport Township offices on Farrell Road for in-person learning. A separate email was sent to families with specific information regarding this transition. 

Beyond Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210, we have received help from Plainfield School District 202, East Aurora School District 131, and Joliet Junior College. The collaboration has been incredible and we thank those communities for the outpour of help. As we move forward with this direction of school operations, we will continue to communicate with you and update the Central Campus Updates web page as needed with important and helpful information. 

Sincerely, 

Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Lockport Township High School District 205 Parents and Guardians,

As some of you are aware, the LTHS Board of Education approved a resolution last night that I recommended to them which is aligned with School Operations to conduct in-person learning for Central Campus students at an alternative location at the Lincoln-Way North High School property. At this time, we want to provide you with the following update as we move forward with a temporary location for in-person learning for Central Campus students. 

LTHS Emergency Board of Education Meeting Updates
At the November 7 LTHS Emergency Board of Education Meeting, I presented to the Board a preliminary risk assessment plan completed by WJE, a firm of engineers, architects, and materials scientists specializing in the investigation, testing, and design of building repairs. As noted on the plan, the assessment of the ceilings at Central Campus is still ongoing and it is focused on three point areas of Central Campus. The preliminary risk assessment plan is available on our website. 

In addition to the WJE preliminary risks assessment plan, several other documents are available on our website where we have published in the past related to Central Campus Structural Reports and Action Items.

• Pease Borst & Associates LLC Cost and Repairs - August 3, 2020 

• DLA Structural Assessment Central Campus - August 5, 2020

• Structural Analysis of Central Campus - September 21, 2020

• Memorandum of Understanding Prepare Bid Specifications for Structural Repairs Central - October 19, 2020

• Central Campus Maintenance Report - December 21, 2020

• Life Safety Repairs - Bid Recommendation - February 9, 2021

• Approval - Structural/Life Safety Repairs - Central Campus - February 22, 2021

A presentation of an overview of Central Campus including the Present and Future Situation was presented to the Board on November 7. If you would like to access the presentation it is available on our Central Campus Updates web page. If you would like to hear what was presented to the Board, the live stream of the Emergency Board of Education Meeting is available to the public. 

School Plans
Central Campus students will be eLearning until we can move into the Lincoln-Way North High School property and until further notice. Please note that we hope and plan for Central Campus students to start their in-person learning on Wednesday, November 15at Lincoln-Way North High School. Over the next few days, we are continuing to work with our Central Campus staff to allow them time to be able to relocate their classroom items to Lincoln-Way North High School and we will continue to work on a couple of schedule modules for Central Campus. While we allow time for our staff to relocate to Lincoln-Way North High School, we anticipate having one day of no instruction.

Lunch 
We are in a phase right now where we anticipate in having Central Campus students bring their own lunch. For our students who receive free and reduced lunch, they will continue to receive that service at Lincoln-Way North High School. 

Transportation
We will provide bus transportation to our Central Campus students to and from Lincoln-Way North High School. Additional information will be provided as we continue with our planning. 

Central Campus Student Lockers
Parents/Guardians can complete a form to have their student items retrieved from their locker. All items from the locker will be placed in a bag and parents will be communicated in the future for a pickup date and time. Please complete this form by Friday, November 10.

Communications & Updates 
As we move forward with this direction of school operations, we will share specifics and additional information with you on our Central Campus Updates web page. 

FAQs
A list of FAQs is available on the Central Campus Updates web page.

We appreciate your patience and trust in us as we continue to work on solutions for in-person learning with another neighboring community. As we move forward with this direction of school operations, we will share specifics and additional information with you as soon as we can. 

Sincerely, 

Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Lockport Township High School District 205 Parents and Guardians,

We want to provide you with an immediate update regarding tonight's LTHS Emergency Board of Education Meeting. This evening, the Board of Education approved a resolution that I recommended to the Board which is aligned on School Operations to conduct in-person learning for Central Campus students at an alternative location at the Lincoln-Way North High School property. This resolution is aligned to the Board of Education’s goal to resume in-person learning as soon as possible while ensuring that a thorough inspection is made of all spaces inside of Central Campus and appropriate repairs, remodeling, or remediation takes place to address any defects. Several Administrative leaders and I have examined remote learning options, learning options at East Campus for all students, and learning options at alternative locations in the community. As we move forward with this direction of school operations, we will share specifics and additional information with you as soon as we can. 

If Porter families and community members were not able to watch the livestream of tonight’s LTHS Emergency Board of Education Meeting, it is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51O9XHVdrQ8

We appreciate your patience and trust in us as we continue to work on solutions for in-person learning with another neighboring community. Your commitment is vital to our shared success. As we move forward with this direction of school operations, we will share specifics and additional information with you as soon as we can. 

Sincerely, 

Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Lockport Township High School District 205 Parents and Guardians,

We want to provide you with an update regarding the progress of the building assessment of Central Campus. We have many people working overtime to address the needs of our freshman students and the staff members who support them. At Central Campus, forensic architects are working classroom by classroom and space by space to cut holes in ceilings and assess the systems that support those plaster ceilings, particularly the ceilings in the 1909 and 1928 sections of the building. This is slow and methodical work, and we have made a promise not to return students and staff members to Central for school until we have a full understanding of the integrity of all classrooms. Also, the LTHS Board of Education has directed me to do everything possible to return students and staff members to in-person learning.

LTHS Board of Education Meeting: 

• On Tuesday, November 7 at 6:30 PM, the LTHS Board of Education will have an Emergency Board of Education meeting in the Porter Room at East Campus. The purpose of the meeting will focus on decisions we need to make as we navigate the challenges posed by facility usage at Central Campus and how those decisions will impact school operations. The meeting will also be publicly accessible via Livestream. To access the agenda & meeting, visit https://www.lths.org/o/lthsd/page/board-of-education-meetings.

Possibilities & Options: 

• We are looking at every option as we move forward and learn more from the forensic architects assessing Central. As you can imagine, we have brainstormed everything from extending remote learning, housing all students at East Campus with some type of modified schedule, or looking towards an alternative location that could accommodate our freshman class. We hope to recommend to the Board the option that best aligns with in-person learning given what we know at this time. At the same time, we are trying to get an estimate from architects and contractors on how long we can expect Central to be out of commission. 

Traveling Students:

• Central Campus traveling students have the option to attend East Campus classes in-person and be stationed in the Maroon Room to complete their eLearning classes with their Central Campus teachers.

• East Campus students who travel to Central for in-person classes should go to the Maroon Room to join their online Central classes.

Lockport Academy & CCC:

• The Lockport Academy and CCC will meet at the Lockport Township offices on Farrell Road for in-person learning. A separate email was sent to families with specific information regarding this transition.

We appreciate your patience and trust in us as we navigate this unique situation and your dedication to our students as we work on solutions for in-person learning. Your commitment is vital to our shared success. As we continue to receive assessment reports regarding Central Campus, we will be sharing that information with you as soon as we can. Please know that our doors, emails, and phones are open to any questions you might have.

Sincerely, 

Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Lockport Township High School District 205 Parents and Guardians,

As we navigate the challenges posed by facility usage at Central Campus, we want to provide you with an updated plan for learning continuity, particularly for the upcoming week of November 6, 2023. At this time, we anticipate three more days of eLearning for freshman students to ensure that forensic architects can make a thorough assessment of the building. As we receive more information, things can change so we appreciate your patience and flexibility. We will continue to communicate with you as we learn more over the weekend and into next week. Please take note of the following details:

Central Campus Building Assessment Updates: 

• Earlier today, we published the report on any Asbestos findings in the debris from Room 310. 

• We are reviewing and verifying our capacity numbers at East Campus if freshman students need to use East Campus to resume in-person learning.

• Architects have confirmed that this collapse is not a building structure issue but a sub-structure issue related to construction methods in some of our Central Campus classrooms.

Central Campus Only Students:

• Monday & Tuesday (November 6 and 7): We will continue to follow our regular full-day schedule with students meeting with their classes online through Google Meet.

• Wednesday (November 8): We will maintain the standard Wednesday schedule with classes occurring online through Google Meet and beginning at 9:45 AM.

• Central students will not report to Compass but should be back online for their 3rd-hour class.
  

Traveling Students:

• Central Campus traveling students have the option to attend East Campus classes in-person and be stationed in the Maroon Room to complete their eLearning classes with their Central Campus teachers.

• East Campus students who travel to Central for in-person classes should go to the Maroon Room to join their online Central classes.
  

Career Week: 

• We have postponed Career Week which was scheduled for next week, November 7 - November 10. We are looking at dates to reschedule and information will be released when it becomes available. 
  

Lockport Academy & CCC:

• The Lockport Academy and CCC will meet at the Lockport Township offices on Farrell Road for in-person learning. A separate email was sent to families with specific information regarding this transition. 

We appreciate your patience and trust in us as we navigate this unique situation and your dedication to our students as we work on solutions for in-person learning after November 8. Your commitment is vital to our shared success. As we continue to receive assessment reports regarding Central Campus, we will be sharing that information with you as soon as we can. Please know that our doors, emails, and phones are open to any and all questions you might have.

Sincerely, 

Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Dear Lockport Township High School District 205 Parents and Guardians,

At this time, I want to update you on the planning we are doing now for Central Campus students as we look ahead to next week. As many parents know, Central Campus is closed until we can properly ensure that every classroom and space is safe for occupancy and school operations. This closure is the result of a plaster ceiling collapse in Room 310 on the northwest corner, third floor of Lockport Central Campus on Wednesday night of November 1, 2023. The ceiling collapse was discovered in the morning on Thursday, November 2 and school leaders took immediate action to ensure student and staff safety and partner with local Fire Department officials. Also, I would like to share with you the progress we have made this morning, particularly one of the initial reports we have received about any possibility of asbestos in the debris found in Room 310.

Presently, freshman students are participating in an online learning day. We anticipate that online learning will continue to take place into next week as we take the time to inspect every aspect of Central Campus for safety. Our goal is to return to in-person learning as quickly as possible, and we hope that we can re-enter Central Campus as soon as possible. However, in the interim, we are exploring what we will need to do to bring our freshman students into instructional settings at East Campus if that, indeed, is an option we need to use to return freshman students to in-person instruction. Later today, we will send you a preliminary plan for what freshman students will be doing on Monday, November 6, Tuesday, November 7, and Wednesday, November 8 as well as what we anticipate for their learning beyond next Wednesday. 

Also, I want to share with you the work we are doing this morning at Central Campus. Presently, 5 forensic architects are moving room by room to inspect for safety. We are starting with the classrooms and spaces around Room 310. Also, we ordered an immediate inspection yesterday of the debris in Room 310 to test for asbestos. No asbestos was found in the debris, and I have attached this inspection report for review. Forensic architects will continue working room by room into the weekend so that we can have a clear picture of the needs, safety, and future occupancy of Central Campus.

One important note I would like to share about heating and cooling systems at Central Campus is that we operate on radiator heat and in-the-wall air conditioning units. We do not have forced air heating. Each classroom has a separate univent system to circulate fresh air. When the ceiling collapsed, that univent system shut down so no debris or particles were circulating outside of Room 310. As we receive more information and reports, we will share them with you. Also, I want to be clear that no alarm sounded and we do not have any such alarm system that would detect this type of ceiling collapse. When discovered, we took immediate action, and because the ceiling collapse was contained in Room 310 there was no detectable sign that it took place until it was discovered in the morning. When discovered, immediate action was taken to secure the area and third floor.

We will update our community regarding school operations for next week later this afternoon. In the meantime, we would invite you to click on this link which will take you to a dedicated webpage for updates on Central Campus.

As always, the safety and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority, and we will invest the necessary time to ensure that Central Campus is ready for students and staff to re-enter it.

Sincerely, 

Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

This morning, a plaster ceiling in a third-floor classroom at Lockport Central Campus collapsed overnight. No students or staff members were present when the collapse occurred. There were no injuries. When staff members and building administrators became aware of this collapse, Lockport Township High School District 205 immediately began to take steps to ensure student and staff safety.

After an initial assessment of the situation with Homer Township and Lockport Township Fire Departments and the City of Lockport Building Inspector, we dismissed students from school at Central Campus out of an abundance of caution. This is only for students at Central Campus.

We are continuing to work with Fire Department officials, the City Building Inspector, and the Lockport Police Department. Forensic engineers and DLA Architects are on site to assess the total structure of every classroom and space in Lockport Central Campus. We are also working with the Regional Office of Education to determine when we can reoccupy the building. We will not do so until we are assured that every space is safe for students and staff. We will update our community on plans moving forward as soon as we have more information.

As always, the safety and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority.

Robert McBride, Ed.D
Superintendent, Lockport Township High School District 205

Central Campus

• Pease Borst & Associates LLC Cost and Repairs - August 3, 2020 

• DLA Structural Assessment Central Campus - August 5, 2020

• Structural Analysis of Central Campus - September 21, 2020

• Memorandum of Understanding Prepare Bid Specifications for Structural Repairs Central - October 19, 2020

• Central Campus Maintenance Report - December 21, 2020

• Life Safety Repairs - Bid Recommendation - February 9, 2021

• Approval - Structural/Life Safety Repairs - Central Campus - February 22, 2021

• WJE Conceptual Estimate of Probable Construction Costs - July 6, 2023

• Resolution Emergency Relocation -November 7, 2023

• Board Emergency Presentation - November 7, 2023

• WJE Preliminary Risk Assessment Plan- November 7, 2023 

• WJE Preliminary Risk Assessment Plan- November 20, 2023

East Campus

• Indoor Air Quality Fungi Mold Sampling Summary May 11, 2016

• Indoor Air Quality Testing Summary April 6, 2022

The attached analytical data are the results from room 310 interior representative samples obtained from the referenced facility area as they pertain to the collapsed ceiling system.

No asbestos-containing materials were identified in the samples obtained from the interior of room 310 at the referenced site. Refer to the analytical report attached.

Upcoming Tour Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2024