A therapeutic day school is expected to relocate from Belvidere to DeKalb to offer special education for up to 100 students.

At its meeting on Monday, the DeKalb City Council voted to support rezoning and special use permit requests by Specialized Education of Illinois, the company behind the therapeutic day school, High Road School.

A therapeutic day school is a private institution funded by partner school districts to provide students with spaces optimized for both education and therapy.

City Manager Bill Nicklas said plans for the site had warranted more discussion before city officials put plans to a final vote.

The City Council was originally expected to give the proposal consideration at a public meeting in January, the date in which the vote was postponed.

“It was determined it was prudent to allow some further discussion at the staff level on safety and security measures,” Nicklas said.

A private meeting between project leaders and some city officials had ensued in response.

Previously, the DeKalb Planning and Zoning Commission gave a positive recommendation of the proposal to members of the City Council.

The building, 315 N. Sixth St., had been eyed by SESI, as it seeks to relocate its Belvidere location into the former Camelot School in DeKalb.

Other locations run and operated by SESI include those in Genoa, Garden Estates, Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Darien and Arlington Heights, according to its website.

Nicklas said plans for the site remain largely the same.

Project leaders have said they are looking to make significant interior modifications to the building.

No massive demolition of the former Camelot School building is anticipated, however.

Once it’s renovated, the site will serve up to 100 students ages 3 to 21 and have up to 64 staff members.

Nicklas described the staff-level discussion as “constructive” and urged the City Council for its support.

Third Ward Alderman Tracy Smith, who was also present for the staff-level discussion, expressed optimism about plans for the site.

He said he initially had some concerns about the site’s history.

This is no longer the case.

“Very positive results came out of that meeting,” Smith said. “One thing you’d think is important is they’ve agreed to meet with the [police department] and the fire department just so they understand how they operate. And I think that’s fair.”

Project leaders have said SESI plans to move into the DeKalb site in July and open a month later.