Referendum 2025

The referendum would build a new combined K-5 elementary school to replace Manning and Miller. This new community elementary school would provide our elementary students a safer and healthier building with improved learning environments. We’d be able to achieve operational efficiencies and reduce maintenance and infrastructure costs. And all K-5 students would be able to learn together in a single building, which has been a request from our community for many years.

The referendum would also improve safety, security, and accessibility throughout the district. This would lead to safer, updated, and more accessible schools through investments in infrastructure and mechanicals, including roofs, heating and cooling, asbestos and mold abatement, electrical, plumbing, windows, flooring, parking lots, wheelchair lifts, and more accessible entrances. It would also create more secure environments for students and teachers through updated fire alarms, intercom systems, and camera systems as well as more secure doors.

Finally, the referendum would renovate classrooms and student support spaces, allowing us to effectively implement our current and future curriculum and optimize hands-on learning. This includes new technology, furniture, carpeting, lighting, electrical, and storage in classrooms. In addition, each school would have dedicated spaces for specialized instruction and related student services such as nursing and special education, leading to healthier students with stronger social and emotional skills.

Community Unit School District 201 is one of the most special and unique districts in the region. Our students benefit from the individual attention, personal relationships, and community connections only possible in small, community-based school districts while gaining access to the consistent instruction and increased opportunities only possible in unit districts.

As a result, our schools outperform most schools in the state and have earned among the highest ratings. Westmont High School has been designated as exemplary while Manning, Miller, and Westmont Junior High were all designated as commendable for the second year in a row. Our high school has won the DuFour Award as best Professional Learning Community in the country. In addition, Westmont High School was awarded the Blue Ribbon, which is given to schools with an unwavering commitment to helping students achieve at high levels.

However, that high achievement is at risk. While our teachers, students, and staff make the most of what we have, our facilities are aging and creating potential safety hazards. Our four schools are between 44 and 94 years old with leaking roofs, extreme temperature swings due to failing HVAC systems, and crumbling parking lots. Most classrooms have been frozen in time since the 1960s, severely limiting our curriculum and holding our students back.

Our kids deserve better. That’s why our community is working together on a plan to improve our facilities. We will be updating the district’s strategic plan in a fully transparent and collaborative process, developing a community-driven plan for the future of our schools. Please plan on joining us in this important collaboration!

Town Hall meeting recordings and our latest presentation are now available on the CUSD 201 website and YouTube! Catch up on key updates anytime—thank you for staying engaged!