Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The superintendent and school board president for Highland Park and Deerfield high schools issue a joint statement about the passage of the $89 million bond referendum to renovate the two schools.
Editor's note: This letter is in response to thepassage of the District 113 referendum. For more background on the referendum, click here. This is an exciting time for District 113. We would like to thank the community for supporting the passage of the referendum and our efforts to improve Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools’ facilities. This has been a long process that has involved hundreds of community members, District 113 staff, and students. Their input and feedback was invaluable; the process was enhanced because of the inclusion of varying points of view. We would like to thank the hundreds of individuals who spent thousands of hours assessing the needs of our students and schools. The passage of the referendum ensures that …
The chairman of Education First, the community group opposed to the $89 million bond referendum to renovate Highland Park and Deerfield high schools says "there are no regrets."
Editor's note: This letter is in response to the passage of the District 113 referendum. For more background on the referendum, click here. Of course we are disappointed with the outcome, but there are no regrets. Nevertheless, when Education First decided to campaign against the referendum, its members did so knowing the risks involved with taking the position we did. We all knew our position would be unpopular and come under severe criticism at times, but we took our position because we believed then, as we do now, that it was the right thing to do for the community. If nothing else, the existence of an opposition group sparked a healthy debate on the issues facing D113 residents when it comes to how to finance not only improvements to …
Monday, April 8, 2013
A member of the Steering Committee explains why the plan to renovate Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools "is based on simple common sense."
I’ve been laying low as the “VOTE YES’s” and “VOTE NO’s” have flown back and forth other the past several weeks regarding the referendum on tomorrow’s ballot. At this late hour I offer the following regarding my experience and perspective as a member of the Steering Committee intimately involved in the planning of what you’ll be deciding tomorrow –I hope you find it useful. This plan is based on simple common sense. It’s a plan that provides a safe, properly equipped, and educationally sound learning environment that affords our kids a well rounded educational experience – not more nor less than required. My colleagues, Ed, Mary, David, Tripp and Richard served with me as citizen-members of the Steering committee and it was our …
Monday, April 1, 2013
Parents in District 109 are invited to tour Deerfield High School April 4.
Township High School District 113 is inviting District 109 parents to tour the high school facilities and see what projects are included in the upcoming $89 million referendum to help finance significant improvements at Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools. Tours are scheduled for Thursday, April 4, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. There will be parking in the Deerfield High School lot. Visitors will have to check in at the front desk upon arrival. The tours will be led by DHS students, staff and administrators. Residents can access more referendum information by: For tour quetions, contact District 113 Director of Communication Natalie Kaplan at NKaplan@dist113.org. Information provided by District 113 Related: Referendum Campaign Picks up as …
42.18718
-87.85677
Deerfield High School
1959 Waukegan Rd, Deerfield, IL
/articles/tour-of-high-school-geared-toward-district-109-parents
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/locations/9142995
Thursday, February 21, 2013
See what Patch blogger Ken Robertson has to say about the referendum to renovate Deerfield High School.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Patch readers have not been shy about voicing their opinions on the April vote to fund improvements to Deerfield and Highland Park high schools. What do you think?
The District 113 School Board voted unanimously last month to put an $89 million referendum on the April ballot to pay for five years' worth of projects for Highland Park and Deerfield high schools. Though the vote is months away, already Patch readers and bloggers are discussing their opinions at length. We've compiled a sampling of the comments from both sides of the debate. There are many more voices in the conversation, so click through on the individual stories to get the full scope of the debate. If you have your own thoughts to share, do so in the comments section. Or, better yet, sign up to be a Local Voices blogger to get your message out to our readers. Blogger Dan Jenks is supporting the referendum. "As a citizen in District 113…
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Leadership team members, architects discussed the importance of assembling a master plan and emphasized transparency and community involvement at Deerfield High School on Monday night.
The first of three District 113 community meetings held Monday focused on assembling a master plan to tackle the renovation needs of Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools. Presenting a list of improvements in order of priority, speakers at Monday's meeting discussed ways to improve both the physical and educational aspects of District 113's two high schools. Though no costs for repairs were disclosed, the list was ordered into tiers from need-to-have to nice-to-have. (Editor's Note: Speakers at Monday's meeting indicated that the slideshow with specific details from the presentation would soon be posted on District 113's website. The exact link will be added to this article once the slides are up.) "The exercise that we're embarking …
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
The first of three public forums for residents to weigh in on proposed improvements at Deerfield and Highland Park high schools will be held tonight.
The first of three community engagement meetings for District 113 residents to give input on the Long Range Facility Plan for Deerfield and Highland Park high schools will be held this evening at Deerfield High School. The 16 month plan considers infrastructure, repair and maintenance, technology and education needs at both high schools, according to Natalie Kaplan, director of communications for District 113, in an email communication dated Aug. 16. The issue has been a controversial once since a referendum proposed to fund the improvement plan failed in 2011. Since then, District 113 hired architectural firm Perkins+Will, and Gilbane, a construction management firm, as well as created a resident steering committee to oversee project …
42.18718
-87.85677
Deerfield High School
1959 Waukegan Rd, Deerfield, IL
/articles/district-113-meeting-tonight-about-high-school-upgrades-improvements
1704338
/locations/7702348
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Ed Brill takes a look at the discussion surrounding the improvements needed at Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools.
The road ahead for District 113 schools seems clear. Improvements are needed. This week, I attended the District 113 Board of Education meeting, where the community study groups that have worked on the district's future facility/technology plan presented their findings and recommendations. At the same meeting, the Education First group presented their own plan for how to move the schools forward. The only conclusion I could draw walking away from the meeting was that what happens next is anyone's guess, and is going to take time to answer. The community leadership group presented a thorough summary of the analysis work they have done over the last twelve months. I found this presentation, from David Brint and Walter "Tripp" Hainsfurther, …
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Harry Steindler writes to Patch about what's next for Deerfield and Highland Park High Schools.
Now that Election Day has passed it has never been more important to come together to form the right plan for our students. I am just as committed now as I was before April 5th to improve the Deerfield and Highland Park High School facilities; to give the students of today and tomorrow the best opportunities to learn and grow in all areas of their high school education; for our children to find success academically, socially, emotionally, physically, athletically, in fine and applied arts, as leaders in our community, and in countless other ways that our students and educators create daily. As long as I am part of the community I will be committed to the idea that we each have a responsibility to pay it forward for future generations of …
Madeline Sullivan
3:01 pm on Wednesday, April 10, 2013
The residents who voted yes have just handed Dr. Fornero and the school board a blank check. They have already spent thousands of the taxpayers money on marketing, postage, videos to show how proud the school board is that the schools are in poor condition because of their lack of maintenance, and architectural fees. Maybe we ought to give the good doctor another raise to $300,000 since he has … more ›