Full-Day Kindergarten Expansion Construction

During the summer of 2022 and the 2022-2023 school year, the District built additions to each elementary school to add space for the newly implemented Full-Day kindergarten program. D64 was ahead of the curve and completed this big project before Governor JB Pritzker signed a bill requiring all schools to have full-day kindergarten by the 2027-2028 school year. 

In addition to the full-day kindergarten-related projects, D64 renovated the Jefferson Early Childhood Center and relocated the District Office from 164 Prospect Ave to 8182 Greendale Avenue. 

The total project cost for all of the construction and additions was about $38 million.

• $25 million for the full-day kindergarten work 
• $13 million for Jefferson School and relocate the District Office.

In less than a year, we announced the addition of a full-day kindergarten, tore down walls, and built new additions from the ground up. Now, the classrooms are filled with excited students who are passionate about learning. Read more from the School Board’s trip to the new additions. 

The new kindergarten areas represent the start of a six-year education in each building. Watch this video from the first day of school to see the excitement on our students' faces. 

25 kindergarten classrooms were added thanks to this project. Below, you can find more information about what was done at each building:

• Washington’s addition was 12,700 sq. ft., which allowed for multiple new classrooms for full-day kindergarten, and further renovations in the current standing building were used to provide services for students with special needs.
• Roosevelt received an addition of 1,334 sq. ft. to the building and 8,089 sq. ft. of interior renovations. The new addition allowed for art and music classrooms. Renovations helped update the LRC, small group instructional spaces, and additional classrooms for Full-Day Kindergarten. 
• In addition to space for kindergarten classrooms, Franklin also received a new Multipurpose Room. Franklin addition was 8,580 sq. ft. and 2,750 sq. ft. in interior renovations. 
• At Field, some of the existing building was demolished in order to make room for an addition that includes five new Full-Day Kindergarten classrooms as well as rooms to provide services for students with special needs.
• Field received an addition of 8,250 sq. ft. and 1,115 sq. ft. in interior renovations. 
• Carpenter received an addition of 3,900 sq. ft. and 6,300 sq. ft. in interior renovations.
• Jefferson also received updates as the classrooms were completely renovated and a new HVAC unit was installed.