Survey on high school expansion twice postponed

The District 158 school board further put off Thursday night administering a high school capacity survey.

The process has been under discussion since earlier this year, when it was originally postponed. The capacity study is intended to include input from all district residents, students and staff members on the needs for more high school space in the upcoming years.

But because of slowed enrollment figures and the housing bust, that idea has been placed on the back burner – for now.

However, the school board might still consider it as one of its key projects for the year during its upcoming strategic planning meeting, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6 at the administrative offices, 650 Academic Drive in Algonquin.

The general board consensus during Thursday's Committee of the Whole meeting was to transform the survey into more of a "big picture" tool for gauging public opinion.

"This becomes an opportunity for a community-values survey, almost," school board member Paul Troy said.

The board also may look into decreasing the cost of the original survey – which is set to be prepared by the Rosemont-based ECRA Group Inc. for $28,000 plus additional printing and mailing expenses – by possibly offering more questionnaires online.

The firm had conducted focus groups in January and wrote the survey's questions based off those meetings the following month.

– Amber Krosel