ISD 166 construction to begin June 1, school board approves project budget cuts
Several construction projects, approved by Cook County voters during the 2024 bond referendum, will begin on June 1 at ISD 166.
A month prior, on May 1, the school district will begin the construction mobilization phase, where equipment and staging materials will be placed on the school property.
“June 1 major construction starts, so people will start to see things moving pretty quickly here now,” said ISD 166 Superintendent Chris Lindholm.
The approved school improvements include the construction of a new secured entrance, the addition of a single-court gymnasium, classrooms, a common area, and various special education enhancements.
Over the past two years, the ISD 166 School Board has worked with ICS, a project management firm, to conduct a comprehensive facility and grounds assessment and to recommend specific improvement projects.
During the latest ISD 166 School Board meeting on Feb. 19, the board reviewed numerous projects removed from the construction plans to help the school district stay within a targeted budget. ICS presented approximately $1 million in value engineering changes to reduce the construction project’s cost. An updated budget was presented to the school board, which included removing improvements with the highest value, such as a sound system and air conditioning for the gym and fitness area, paving the bus garage, 17 solar tubes, an elementary gender-neutral bathroom, and HVAC controls.
The school board voted 4-1 to approve the $954,560.51 in value engineering changes and remove the items from the construction project. School Board members Erik Redix, Rena Rogers, Quinn McCloughan, and Dan Shirley voted in support of the presented value engineering changes. Board member Carrie Jansen voted no, stating that she strongly supported keeping the solar tubes in the project, which would allow more natural light into the school.
The school board and ICS discussed the potential, down the road, to add specific projects into the construction process if costs and the school board’s desire are there.
Lindholm said with the approval of the value engineering changes, the “School board ultimately has the budget back in line with the work, and it’s a balanced budget. With, of course, a contingency fund.”
The school district plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony in May to mark the start of the multi-year construction process and improvements to the school.
WTIP’s Kalli Hawkins spoke with ISD 166 Superintendent Chris Lindholm for an update on the referendum construction projects and timeline, legislative priorities, and other school updates. Audio is below.
Kalli Hawkins February 27, 2026
