Kaneland School District voters approve issuance of $140M in bonds for facility improvements

Kane County voters in the Kaneland School District approved a referendum to issue over $140 million in school building bonds for district-wide facility improvements this summer.

Final official vote totals from the April 1 consolidated election show the referendum “to issue $140,274,000 in school building bonds” passed with 3,163 votes, or roughly 56%.

With voter approval, Kaneland School District 302 will now proceed with the planned enhancements and community engagement, which D302 communications director David Chavez outlined in an April 22 news release.

The bonds will be used to addresses critical facility improvement needs, with a focus on enhancing safety, modernizing classrooms, improving accessibility and upgrading infrastructure, according to the release.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Kaneland community for their support and trust in our vision for improving our schools,” Superintendent Kurt Rohlwing said in the release. “This referendum’s success is a testament to the community’s commitment to providing our students with the best possible learning environments. The feedback from students, staff, and community members was invaluable in shaping this plan.”

Chavez said the district is dedicated to keeping the community informed throughout the process, and outlined the following next steps:

1. Establish Guiding Committees: D302 will establish committees of community members, staff and students to guide the implementation of the facility improvements.
2. Frequent Updates: D302 will keep the community informed and updated on the progress through newsletters, social media, a project website, community forums and ongoing news releases.
3. Establish a Project Website: D302 will create a project website to provide residents with easy access to information about the project, timelines and updates. 
4. Host Community, Staff, Student and Stakeholder Feedback Meetings: D302 community members will have several chances to provide feedback on the architectural designs and other plans, and the district will share frequent updates on the construction timeline, visual progress, financial aspects and project milestones.

“The Kaneland School District sincerely thanks the community for your support and trust,” Chavez said in the release. “Together, we are beginning an exciting journey to enhance our schools and enrich our students’ educational experiences.”