1st day at McHenry’s Landmark School could be its last, with future of year-round program still uncertain

McHenry was bustling with buses, families and children as students and staff entered the 130-year-old Landmark Elementary building Wednesday for the first day of the new school year at the year-round program.

But this could be Landmark’s last first day at the building as the McHenry Elementary School District 15 board decides whether to spend millions of dollars to bring the facility up to modern code – or possibly close the school down.

A school board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at McHenry Middle School located at 2120 W. Lincoln Road, but it is unclear if closing Landmark will be voted on that night.

“There is no update at this time but, as always, we are excited for the start of another school year for Landmark students, families and staff,” District 15 Communication and Digital Media Coordinator Jen Tossey said in a Wednesday email to the Northwest Herald. “This morning staff did a great job welcoming our students and families, and students were happy and ready to start the new academic year.”

To bring Landmark School up to modern code would cost District 15 $10 million to $13 million, the school board learned in April. Repairs and additions would include fire sprinklers, an elevator, enlarged gymnasium, mechanical and plumbing upgrades, roof repairs and brick tuck-pointing.

If Landmark is closed, district officials have said, the 200 students attending there would be sent back to the schools they are zoned to attend, based on boundary maps. Even with that influx, the district classrooms are expected to average about 20 students each in 10 years.

Hundreds of people attended three public hearings on the matter in the spring. Parents and students advocating for the school said that while it’s beloved in the community, it is the program they want to save over the building. Parents suggested the year-round program be exported to other schools, or that the Landmark program be created inside another school and run concurrently with a traditional program.

That sentiment still rung true for many parents as they dropped off their children Wednesday morning. Parent Sarah Gallichio said she has “a little bit of hope” for Landmark to continue and see potential for the school to be bigger and better if brought into a new building.

“I would love to have a new facility,” she said.

Landmark is rated as an “exemplary” school and performs in the top 10% of elementary schools nationwide, according to the most recent Illinois Report Card.

The building does not have state or federal landmark status, but it does have a protected status from McHenry. Assistant City Clerk Monte Johnson, liaison to the McHenry Landmark Commission, said the school has been named a landmark by the city.

This school year also is Landmark Elementary Principal Margaret Carey’s last year, as she is retiring at the end 2024-25 school year after 33 years in education, she said. She has been Landmark’s principal for the past 15 years.

“It’s wonderful to have so many new families joining us this year for what promises to be another great year of learning and growing together,” Carey said in an email to the Northwest Herald. “While our future beyond this school year has yet to be decided, what is certain is that the Landmark school staff will continue to provide engaging, enriching and fun learning opportunities as we strive to help each student reach their potential academically and socially as a confident problem solver and a valuable member of the school community.”

The school has an enrollment of 196 children this year, many are new students at every grade level except for fifth grade, Carey said.

Parent Christopher Moore, who has a son entering fourth grade, said he still wants the school or the program to continue for future families.

“The board is supposed to represent the district evenly,” he said. “I feel like they are neglecting Landmark.”

Landmark School is considered a “school-of-choice” center by the district. The building houses the district’s sole year-round calendar, with the school year beginning in July with “frequent and longer vacations” throughout the year, according to the district’s website.

Landmark has offered those programs since 2001, when it opened as a school of choice in the district. Parents put student names into a lottery to attend, though a younger child is automatically accepted if an older sibling went to Landmark.

Parent Brittany Marupio has a son entering the school for the first time. She entered into the school’s lottery system because of the school’s strong reputation and nontraditional ways of teaching.

“I was very excited to get in,” she said. “I just don’t want to let my son down.”

Parent Jessica Funk said it’s the “tight-knit community” that makes Landmark special. If given the chance, she believes the community would come together to think of a solution whether through fundraising or organizing in other ways.

“Just give us a chance to figure it out and save our program,” she said.