Cook County Public Schools presents $24M renovation plan; board could place referendum on November ballot

Cook County Public Schools officials and their design team presented an informational plan at a community meeting that would add classrooms, create a secure main entrance, expand student-support spaces and upgrade athletic facilities if voters approve a referendum.

Superintendent Chris Lindholm opened the meeting and framed it as an opportunity for community input on “next steps for Cook County Schools,” saying the district has collected demographic, educational adequacy and facility-assessment data to guide the design work. Natalie Pop, a consultant on the project, said the team used those studies and multiple listening sessions to develop options for the board to consider.

The design presentation outlined three funding questions under consideration. The most comprehensive package, described as “about 24,000,000” by a presenter, would cover new administrative and student-service space with a secure entry, expanded commons and media‑center flexibility, upgraded classrooms and major mechanical and finish updates. A second package, about $9 million, would focus on site and athletic improvements — including a track, field upgrades and support spaces — and a third option, about $3.5 million, would add a second gym station.

The plan emphasizes student supports and safety. The presentation proposes a consolidated nurse suite and a student mental‑health counseling area connected to administration, plus universal restrooms, family/mothers’ rooms and private toilet rooms to enhance privacy and reduce bullying risks. “We would provide a new nurse space, provide a new student mental‑health counseling suite, if you will,” the design presenter said, describing how moving administration and clinical spaces into a new addition would free existing plumbing and allow reconfiguration of the central commons area for broader community use.

Athletics and Title IX compliance were recurring themes. Consultants noted the district’s robust track program lacks a track, and softball currently has no suitable field — a point the presenters flagged as a Title IX concern. Proposed athletic work includes a regulation basketball court footprint, upgraded locker rooms with private showers, expanded fitness space that could be secured for after‑hours community access, improved storage and potential artificial turf for the football field to extend its seasonal use.

Designers also addressed everyday facility problems that limit community use: cafeteria serving lines and dishwashing areas currently lack shutters or gated closures, preventing safe after‑hours use. The team suggested gating and improved acoustics and handwashing facilities to make the commons area more usable for evening programs and community events.

Officials outlined the timeline and next steps. The design team said it will submit project data to the Minnesota Department of Education as part of a required review-and-comment process; the school board is expected to consider authorizing a referendum question in mid‑May, with additional community information sessions scheduled for the fall and a potential referendum in November 2024. Construction, depending on phasing, was estimated roughly from 2025 to 2027.

The meeting did not record any formal board action; presenters said the board still must decide whether to place referendum questions before voters. The consultants urged continued community input at upcoming sessions and invited attendees to ask questions after the recorded presentation.