The end of Edison Primary School appears to be near.

At the first of three public hearings regarding the proposed closure of Kankakee’s east side Thomas Edison Primary School, it was noted that more than $6 million in work would need to be done to keep the school operational.

About a dozen people attended the special Kankakee School Board meeting Friday morning in the Lincoln Cultural Center auditorium.

Two additional public hearings will be held at 5 p.m. Jan. 7 and 5 p.m. Jan. 8 at Edison, 1991 E. Maple St.

Those who cannot attend can livestream the meetings on District 111’s YouTube channel.

Earlier this month, the board passed a resolution to consider the closure of Edison, which has a current enrollment of 185 students.

After the public hearings conclude, if the board agrees with the administrative recommendation, it would then pass a resolution to close the building at the end of the current school year.

There’s been no determination of what to do with the site after closure.

Financial concerns

Harrison Neal, assistant superintendent of business services, discussed the issues that led to the proposal to close Edison.

That includes that the district is operating with a deficit budget.

In September, the board passed the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which included a deficit of nearly $1.4 million.

“We have a structural deficit in our budget, which is whittling away at our reserves, and we need to eliminate that,” Neal said.

Superintendent Teresa Lance said enrollment has been declining across the entire district. So, the closure is also about the efficient use of space.

“All of our buildings are currently underutilized,” she said. “So we know, in order to rightsize the budget as well as the district, we need to consolidate and move students in areas of school buildings where there is space.”

District 111’s enrollment has declined from 5,165 students in 2018 to 4,455 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Structural concerns

In August 2024, the district contracted with DLA Architects to conduct a 10-year life safety survey and facility assessment.

The finalized report is expected in the next week, Neal said.

The estimated costs of work needed in the elementary buildings are significant, but they are greatest at Edison, which would require more than $6 million to remain operational.

An estimated $4 million is needed for roof and infrastructure work. This large investment is necessary because the foundation on one side of the building has been sinking and is beginning to crack on the inside and outside.

About $2 million in mechanical work is also needed, plus $384,000 in electrical and $110,000 in plumbing work.

“[The buildings] are 60-, 70-plus years old and really haven’t been touched much since they were built,” Neal said.

Bill Draper, director of maintenance, noted that Edison was built about 70 years ago, in 1956, with the original building running parallel to Maple Street. The addition facing east and west was built in 1958.

In 1990 to 1991, the building had a similar issue with a sinking foundation; architects and engineers got involved at that time and lifted up the side of the building.

“Thirty five years later, it looks like it is doing the same things,” Draper said.

Architects are scheduled to be on site this week to further assess the situation.

“You have one half of the building is fine, the other half, the foundation is starting to sink slightly, and that is creating the crack in the building,” Neal said.

A crack in the exterior wall is visible from outside the building, and cracks can be seen on the interior walls of some classrooms.

“I don’t know why it originally sank, or why it’s sinking this time,” Neal said. “There’s an underlying issue there that I don’t think has been able to remediated.”

Staff cuts possible

Of the District 111 buildings intended to be elementary schools, its Aroma Park location is closed, Avis Huff is being used as an alternative school, and Proegler is the early childhood education site.

That leaves Edison, Taft, Mark Twain and Steuben as the remaining primary schools.

If Edison closes, students would be assigned to the other elementary buildings.

While staff would be assigned to available positions for which they are qualified, some staffing cuts are a possibility.

“If necessary, if we have too many staff members and not enough positions, obviously, that would introduce reduction in force procedures according to collective bargaining agreements,” Neal said.

Board President Chris Bohlen added that the consideration to close Edison is not a reflection of what’s happening inside the building.

Rather, it’s a matter of finding ways to save money and best utilize space with declining enrollment.

“We have a lot of experienced and highly qualified teachers there, which we want to use, will have to use in other places if the decision is made,” Bohlen said.

Parental concerns

Gisela Morales, parent of a first-grader at Edison, asked what kind of funds have been allocated to school repairs in recent years?

Another parent asked where students would be moved to and whether parents would have a choice in the matter?

After the meeting, Morales said she wanted to learn about what was happening and stay informed.

“Based on what information they’re giving us, they’re talking about money,” Morales said. “So I’m just curious as to where money has been going and why [the building] has not been taken care of?

“I don’t want the school to close,” she added. “My son, he loves it there.”