CUSD 201 proposes $68 million consolidated Miller elementary to replace aging schools

Assistant Superintendent Ron O'Connor presented the district's plan to consolidate Miller and Manning elementary schools onto the Miller site and said the district now estimates building costs at about $68,000,000. "The cost, as you know, is what we're being discussing here, is a $68,000,000 building," O'Connor said while outlining the project's benefits, including modern safety features and ADA accessibility.

O'Connor argued the district would realize ongoing savings from reduced maintenance, utilities and staffing when moving from two buildings to one, and he said the district's architects estimate a new building would have a 50-plus year design life. He also emphasized the project could avoid displacing students during construction and described off-street parent drop-off and coordinated traffic mitigation with police and fire. O'Connor told residents the district would provide additional enrollment and financial projections in the coming weeks and encouraged use of the fact sheet and QR code for further detail.