🏫 THE BUILDINGS ARE READY. THE CLASSROOMS ARE READY. NOW WE JUST NEED OUR STUDENTS! ✨

Tomorrow, our schools come alive again.

Before we welcome students back for the first day of school, we wanted to give our community a look at just some of the work that has been happening across District 99 this summer. 

While our students and teachers have been away, our buildings certainly haven't been quiet! Construction crews, contractors, custodians, maintenance staff and many others have been hard at work completing projects both big and small to make sure our schools are safe, welcoming, comfortable and ready for another great year of learning.

Some improvements are immediately noticeable. Others are hidden on rooftops, above ceilings or behind the scenes. But every one of them matters.

💡 Unity Junior High School received brand-new LED lighting throughout the entire building, providing brighter, more energy-efficient learning spaces for students and staff.

🐊 Goodwin Elementary School received improvements both inside and outside! A new black perimeter fence gives the parking lot and playground a fresh, finished look, while the schools' front office underwent a major redesign and renovation to create a more modern and welcoming space for students, families, and staff.

❄️ Wilson Elementary School received a new rooftop chiller, an important behind-the-scenes investment that helps keep the building comfortable and its mechanical systems dependable.

🏫 Roosevelt Elementary School received a fresh new blacktop along with important roof work, helping protect and maintain the building while refreshing the outdoor areas our students use every day.

⚽ Drexel Elementary School also received roof improvements — and, of course, one of the most exciting additions of the summer: its brand-new soccer mini-pitch!

🚧 And then there's one project that's about much more than this school year.

Construction on the future Brian Dominick Early Childhood Center, scheduled to open its doors in 2028, continues to move forward! Crews have been hard at work each and every day, and the progress is becoming more visible by the week.

And here's something you may not know...

👀 YOU CAN WATCH IT BEING BUILT LIVE! CLICK HERE

A live construction camera gives our community a front-row seat as the Brian Dominick Early Childhood Center rises from the ground. Check in today, come back a few weeks from now, and watch the future of early childhood education in District 99 take shape right before your eyes!

These projects are about more than new lights, fresh pavement, renovated offices, mechanical equipment, fences and roofs.

They're about taking care of the places our students call school.

Maintaining and improving our facilities protects the community's investment in our schools, extends the life of our buildings, improves efficiency and comfort, and — most importantly — helps create environments where students and staff can do their very best work.

Tomorrow morning, the hallways won't be empty anymore.

The lights will be on. The classrooms will be ready. The doors will open. 

And thousands of students will once again fill our schools with the energy, laughter, learning, and excitement that make them so much more than buildings.

District 99, we're ready for you. See you tomorrow for the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! ❤️