This spring, both Highland Park High School and Deerfield High School will have a mockup classroom available for use by teachers and students.
The mockup classrooms are usable models of the renovations scheduled for about 70 rooms in both schools. The changes include new lighting, acoustic ceilings, HVAC systems, doors and high performance windows. Classroom renovations that fall within the scope of Phase 1 include Q and E Wings at DHS and the 3rd floor of A-Wing at HPHS.
The renovation on the rooms that are a part of Phase 1 is scheduled for the summer of 2014. The classrooms are anticipated to be ready for students upon their return in the fall.
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The mockup classrooms slated for completion in early April will give users an opportunity to see what is coming, and also give District 113 an opportunity to receive real-time information from the users, said Dan Mortensen, Director of Facilities Management at District 113.
At DHS, four social studies teachers currently utilizing the model classroom, which will be located in the Q Wing, will return to that room. The room also will be available to teachers through scheduled open-house events during spring, according to Audris Griffith, principal at DHS. She said she expects the improved lighting and ventilation systems to receive a particularly warm welcome.
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At HPHS, the 3rd floor model classroom is used by three English teachers, who will also return to those rooms upon completion of the mockup. The mockup will illustrate the renovation work that is scheduled for 3rd floor A-Wing classrooms at HPHS over the summer.
At a December 2 special meeting of the District 113 Board of Education, the Board approved bids for general trades, aluminum storefront and glazing work, mechanical work and electrical work for the mockup classrooms.
In November, students from the DHS and HPHS environmental clubs met with architect and construction teams to discuss their ideas for environmentally friendly construction, and learned about the environmental and cost considerations that went into the selection of the lighting, HVAC systems and windows. Superintendent George Fornero requested that their studies be forwarded to him for consideration. The groups will meet again in spring. Please go to dist113.org to view a video of that meeting.
