Press Release: 12-20-2011

The Board of Education for Waukegan Community Unit School District # 60 met for a special meeting on December 19 to primarily discuss various aspects of minority and local hiring relating to the $37.7 million Capital Development Board (CDB) grant project.

Representatives from the State of Illinois CBD spoke to the Board of Education about what statutes are in place with regard to Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Female Business Enterprise (FBE) goals, and how the District can set its own percentage goals higher than those the CDB requires.

The Board also heard a brief presentation from an attorney with expertise in Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, who discussed what steps local and minority contractors need to take to officially be qualified as an MBE/FBE by the State. Following the presentation, the Board agreed to have an attorney with Disadvantaged Business Enterprise expertise on retainer as the bid process for CDB project moves forward.

Board members also discussed their initial reactions to the model classroom at Greenwood Elementary School. The classroom, which contains many of the same elements that will be seen throughout the CDB project, is available for viewing by the public from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from December 20 through 22 at Greenwood, 1919 North Avenue. The Board is scheduled to vote on the components they would like to see in the new classrooms during a January 10 meeting.

Schools slated for classroom additions include: Washington Elementary and Whittier Elementary, each with 16 new classrooms; Glen Flora Elementary with 12 classrooms, and eight classrooms at Carmen-Buckner Elementary, Greenwood Elementary, North Elementary, Clearview Elementary, Glenwood Elementary, McCall Elementary, Hyde Park Elementary, Little Fort Elementary and Oakdale Elementary.

Email Contact: nalajakis@wps60.org