ISD 166 gears up for years of improvement projects after referendum approval

More than two weeks have passed since Cook County voters approved the Cook County Schools 2025 bond referendum.

In the days following the vote, the school administration, staff, and school board members celebrated the passage of the referendum. However, now that the initial excitement has subsided, Superintendent Chris Lindholm said, the significant scope of the work ahead has become a reality.

“We have a lot of work to do in the next couple of years now to implement what’s been approved,” Lindholm said.

For the past year, the school district has been undergoing several facility and grounds improvement projects, approved during last year’s bond referendum. In 2024, Cook County voters approved improvements for the school, including the construction of a new secured entrance, the addition of a single-court gymnasium, classrooms, a common area, and various special education enhancements.

The recently approved improvements included in the 2025 bond referendum will add another layer to the district’s existing workload. The improvements recently approved include upgrades to outdoor learning spaces, investments in the performing arts, and a new track and synthetic turf field. The entire project is projected to cost $11 million. The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) committed $5 million for the improvements, contingent on Cook County Schools passing the referendum. The remaining $6.65 million will be covered by Cook County homeowners.

“We’re actually operating two plans and trying to make them into one,” Lindholm said.

He said, “So now the board is heavily in the weeds of trying to determine what can actually be accomplished in the scope of the project.”

Lindholm said a timeline is not finalized, but he anticipates construction of the 2024-approved improvements to begin in the summer of 2026 and continue into the summer of 2027. In the summer and fall of 2026, construction is expected to start on the new gym and locker rooms. In the fall of 2027, construction on the secured entrance addition is expected to begin.

During the upcoming Nov. 20 school board meeting, board members will discuss a preliminary timeline for soliciting initial bids for various projects and setting dates for design group input sessions.

The more recent 2025-approved improvements are likely to start in summer 2027 or shortly thereafter, Lindholm said. “Just because of the work that has to get done with planning and then bidding.”

WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with Cook County Schools Superintendent Chris Lindholm about the short-term and long-term plans following the approval of the 2025 bond referendum. The audio from the interview is below.

Kalli Hawkins November 19, 2025