The Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 Board of Education has approved $2.3 million in building projects to be completed over the summer.
Eight of the nine schools in the district — all, but Clarendon Hills Middle School — have some type of work scheduled for the summer, the most expensive of which is a new playground at Oak School ($450,000).
The summer projects are part of a district Facilities Master Plan that was approved in 2018.
“The district created a rolling 10-year facility plan in 2018,” said Jeffrey Alstadt, District 181’s director of communications. “Every year, that plan is updated with current information and priorities. This allows us to adjust project timelines, add new projects or defer projects of a potentially lower priority, as needed, based on changing circumstances.”
Alstadt said the 2025 summer projects are similar in number and total cost to previous years.
“We will also be completing the renovations/additions on six of our elementary schools this summer, projects that started last summer, to be able to accommodate a full-day kindergarten program for the upcoming school year,” he said.
Alstadt said summer is a crucial time for completing the majority of the district’s large construction projects, as it minimizes the disruption to learning.
“We prefer to limit the number of contractors who are on-site when staff and students are in our buildings,” he said. “Additionally, with buildings empty, work can be done more efficiently and safely. This allows us to tackle major renovations and perform thorough cleaning and maintenance afterwards, ensuring our facilities are ready for the new school year.”
Work on tap for this summer includes:
Elm: flooring replacement, door and hardware upgrades; and renovating kindergarten classrooms to improve functionality and flow. Currently, one classroom has to go through the other to access its cubbies and lockers. A new door will connect the rooms and new cabinets and cubbies will be added
Hinsdale Middle School: Washington Field upgrades
The Lane: parking lot replacement
Madison: window upgrades, door and hardware upgrades
Monroe: LED replacement and retrofit
Oak: hallway tile replacement, new playground, and the addition of bollards — short traffic posts used for traffic control — along 55th Street
Prospect: poured in place, a surface created from recycled rubber materials, for the playground area; door and hardware upgrades, service drive replacement
Walker: Media Resource Center remodel, flooring replacement, Taraflex floor replacement
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
