Over the summer, New Trier High School began demolishing its science and administrative offices at the Winnetka Campus, initiating phase one of its three-year plan to renovate parts of the Winnetka Campus. While the project is on track to be completed in August 2027, some of it will be done before then. 

“The principal will be in her new office, after winter break, and then next year, we’ll have several of the science labs open and several of the offices open,” Deputy Superintendent Christopher Johnson said. 

This is just phase one taking place at the administrative offices and student services on the second floor of the Tower Building and the science labs on first floor of the North Building of the Winnetka Campus. Phases two and three are expected to finish within the next couple of years in order to meet their goal of benefiting students, strengthening the Winnetka campus areas, and investing in the Winnetka Campus. 

“Half of the science labs and offices open for the start of the 2026-2027 school year, and the other offices open for the start of the 2027-2028 school year,” Johnson said.

The science labs will be converted into state-of-the-art classrooms that will feature rolling tables, cubbies for backpacks, and cabinetry that students can use as whiteboards. These features were decided on by a committee made up of seven science teachers, a lab technician, and Jason English, the head of the science department, whose job was to design the new science classrooms. 

The committee also toured various high schools to seek input and inspiration for features they wanted to include in their own science classrooms. 

“We probably have spent dozens of hours planning it,” English said.

So far, the renovations have gone smoothly and according to schedule. 

“Any time you’re doing construction on buildings that are 80, 90, 60 years old, you always face unexpected challenges,” Johnson said. “But we have a good team that can work through it.” 

Although the construction team will be working all year round at New Trier, they will be doing the heaviest parts over the summer. During the school year, New Trier decided to regulate the renovation process for the sake of their students. 

“There’s a plan in place to manage noise, to manage safety, and to make sure that there are not interruptions that would disrupt the students and the teachers,” Johnson said. “We talk to the teachers, we talk to the administrators, to make sure there isn’t anything that’s disrupting them.”

For junior Zoya Boghani, the school renovations–specifically the drywall covering the classrooms under construction in the first and second hallway–have been an inconvenience.

“There’s so much less room in the hallway, so it’s much more crowded and so many more people are walking, and it takes longer to get to places,” Boghani said.

Additionally, while New Trier created a policy to limit the noisiest parts of construction from 6 a.m. to the advisery period, Boghani still sometimes hears drilling from her biology class on the first floor.

“Sometimes, when my teacher talks, the noises get really loud,” Boghani said. “I can’t hear my teacher talking, and we have to wait until it’s over, or she has to try and talk over it.” 

Besides the noise, the science department was able to resolve other problems regarding the renovations.

“We had to put a chemistry class in a biology room this year, but we have enough facilities to handle all the science classes without too much inconvenience,” English said. 

Next school year, students can expect to see major renovations such as a new attendance office on the first floor and five new science labs. All of these renovations will not only revamp the Winnetka Campus, but help students as well. 

“We’re really excited about the benefits that investing in this campus is going to bring to future students and teachers,” Johnson said.