The student news site of New Trier High School

New Trier News

The student news site of New Trier High School

New Trier News

The student news site of New Trier High School

New Trier News

The referendum: plans quickly becoming reality

With the passing of New Trier’s referendum, the school is preparing to begin renovation this spring.

The $89 Million project includes the reconstruction of New Trier’s tech/arts building, music building, and cafeteria.

Additionally, New Trier will add 25 new academic classrooms and 3 new science labs.

By the expected end of the renovation in 2017, the school and all of its rooms will be equipped with new, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.

The renovation process will begin with the tech/arts building this spring as students start to move out of their classes held in the “T” wing. New Trier’s Director of Communications, Nicole Dizon, spoke about the transition out of the old building to prepare for demolition. “The goal is to get some of the tech/art students moved out of their classrooms in the late spring, very temporarily, so the sight work can begin,” she said. There is no exact date of the first classes moved.

The demolition will start this summer. Simultaneously, the construction crews will begin working on laying gravel and transporting the trailer classrooms for the new building.

The trailer classrooms will be outside of the building during the construction process.

During the 2015-2016 school year, the construction crews will be remodeling the new, more modern tech/arts building featuring a rooftop garden with study and hangout spots.

“The beauty of this project is that while the building is under construction, there will be a large corridor connecting the old to the new, so the workers can work on the building without disrupting the students too much,” mentioned Dizon.

During the summer of 2016 the largest part of the demolition will take place. It includes the destruction of the music wing of the school and the cafeteria, which has dated back over one hundred years to 1912.

“Like in the tech/arts demolition, all of the messiest and dustiest work (destruction) is done in the summer, and the construction will be done in the following school year,” said Dizon.

The construction of the new music building and cafeteria will be taking place in the 2016-2017 school year. The new music building will include new material suited for better acoustics and the cafeteria will feature more space to fit New Trier’s student body. Additionally, a new library will be added during the 2016-2017 school year.

Principal Denise Dubravec discussed the additional space. She said, “The design of the new buildings incorporates purposeful gathering spaces for students that are invited, that will include comfortable furniture.”

While the majority of the current students will have graduated by the time of the finished product, they can look forward to being impressed by the new renovations to this old building when they visit. Incoming freshman for the 2015 will be faced with construction throughout the majority of their high school career.

The main purposes of this renovation are to provide additional cafeteria and lounge space to
Prevent over crowdedness and to restore some of the oldest parts of the building. While the estimated time of completion isn’t guaranteed, the administration is aiming for sometime in 2017. Dizon said, “The goal is to finish it sometime in 2017, and hopefully be ready by the 2017-2018 school year.”

Overall, the outlook on this project is positive, and intended to help everyone. “Any investment in New Trier is an investment in the community,” said Dubravec.

“All of the messiest and dustiest work (destruction) is done in the summer, and the construction will be done in the following school year,” said Dizon.

The construction of the new music building and cafeteria will be taking place in the 2016-2017 school year.

The new music building will include new material suited for better acoustics and the cafeteria will feature more space to fit New Trier’s student body.

Additionally, a new library will be added during the 2016-2017 school year.

Principal Denise Dubravec discussed the additional space. She said, “The design of the new buildings incorporates purposeful gathering spaces for students that are inviting, that will include comfortable furniture.”

While the majority of the current students will have graduated by the time the project is finished, they can look forward to being impressed by the new renovations when they visit.

Incoming freshman for the 2015 year will be faced with construction throughout the majority of their high school experience.

The main purposes of this renovation are to provide additional cafeteria and lounge space to prevent overcrowding, and to restore some of the oldest parts of the building.

While the estimated time of completion isn’t guaranteed, the administration is aiming for sometime in 2017. Dizon said, “The goal is to finish it sometime in 2017, and hopefully be ready by the 2017-2018 school year.”

Overall, the outlook on this project is positive, since the intention is to help everyone. “Any investment in New Trier is an investment in the community,” said Dubravec.

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