After 5th Ward resident Alana Williams’ grandmother, Madeline Ducret, passed away in 2020, Williams realized she wanted to promote Ducret’s lifelong vision of neighborhood schools in the 5th Ward.
Ms. Ducret, a mother of six children, was frustrated that there were no schools within walking distance for her children, Ms. Williams said. Williams said Ducret regularly spoke at City Council meetings and pushed extensively for school construction in Ward 5, even though he was the only advocate at the time.
Ms. Williams said her goal is to become the school’s founding teacher.
“These are the foundations that my grandmother guided me to…I need to know my community and I need to be a part of it,” Williams said. “We need to understand, respect and accept different cultures and bring that into the classroom.”
Williams attended the District 5 School Design Open House hosted by Evanston/Skokie School District 65 at the Fleetwood Jourdan Community Center on Tuesday evening.
The event was also attended by several District 65 administrators and architects from Cordegan Clark & Associates, the architectural firm working on the project.
Melissa Messinger, the district’s chief communications officer, said the event is an important feedback mechanism for the school’s design plans.
In addition to several poster boards displaying photos of the school’s potential appearance, the showcase also had a board with possible names for the school.
Messenger said members of the Foster Seniors Club suggested the name. The club also includes several students who attended Foster School, which existed in Ward 5 until it transitioned to a magnet school in 1967 and closed in 1979.
“They are a critical part of this process and have been advocating for the return of schools to Ward 5 communities for decades,” Messenger said. “The construction of this school is truly a testament to their hard work and commitment.”
Six mascot options were also presented on the board. Participants can scan her QR code to vote for their favorite name and mascot.
The open house poster also listed sustainable elements in the school design, including reusing building materials, LED lighting, and high-end mechanical systems. Craig Welter, vice president of Cord Gun Clark, said these efforts have increased construction costs.
District 5 school plans have been in the works for months. faced with budget problems That forced the district to turn the building into a K-12 school instead of a K-12 school, as originally planned. Welter said building a large school in a small area presents significant challenges.
The updated budget estimate is $48.4 million as of January 2024. Welter said planners are considering starting the bidding process for contractors in the summer and starting construction in the fall.
“We are currently in the final stages of design development, which is the second phase of our experience in the world of architecture,” says Welter. “There are still many decisions to be made and ideas being thrown around, but we are getting closer to a complete design.”
Williams said the Phoenix mascot, one of the options offered, was an accurate analogy to a school “rising from the ashes.”
“If all goes well…I could potentially teach for a few years until my daughter is able to go to kindergarten in 2028-2029. It’s just come full circle and it’s very fulfilling. “It’s going to be very impactful,” Williams said.
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Related article:
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— Foster Senior Club keeps seniors informed and active
— District 65 begins closing Bessie Rose