Thank You for Engaging with Building 73.5

JOIN US ON MAY 20!

Thank you to the more than 100 neighbors, parents and staff members who joined us for our first Building 73.5 Community Engagement Session on Monday, April 21. It was an evening full of thoughtful conversation and a collective commitment to the future of our schools.

During the session, participants learned about the current condition of our school buildings, many of which were originally built in the 1950s, and gained insight on how aging systems like heating, cooling, plumbing and electrical are impacting student learning and teaching. In small groups, participants also shared what surprised them most, discussed the values that should guide our long-term facility planning, and came to a consensus on key priorities for the future of our school buildings.

The presentation from the session is now available at SD735.org/Building735, and a summary of the input shared through the small group work will be posted within the next week.

Our next session is on Tuesday, May 20 at McCracken Middle School. Even if you missed the first session, we encourage you to come. You’ll hear from our teachers and architects about how school design directly affects learning. A lot has changed since these buildings were constructed, and we will explore what those changes mean for student success now and in the years to come. You will also have the opportunity to work with other participants to help set the direction for the future of our schools.

This work is part of the community-led Building 73.5 process to develop a long-term facility plan for District 73.5. Community engagement sessions are open to everyone and designed and led by the Building 73.5 Facilitating Team, a group of parents, staff, and neighbors working together with district leadership. Each session includes a short presentation, small group discussion, and a report outlining ideas and perspectives.

Over the summer, the architects will use feedback from the two sessions this spring to develop a set of possible options for the future of our buildings. The options will include details about what could be done at each school and the associated costs. In the fall, we’ll come back together for two more sessions, starting with a look at those options. We’ll also conduct a public opinion research survey to better understand how the broader community views the future of our schools. 

While the district has reviewed several possibilities for the future of our buildings, the community will ultimately determine the path forward through the Building 73.5 process. A final report from the process will be shared with the Board of Education later this fall.

Thank you for being part of this important conversation. Our schools are at the heart of our community, and your voice matters.