Everything You Need To Know About Hinsdale High Schools' Proposed $76 Referendum

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 announced this week its refined plans for a possible $76 million grant it’s seeking in the April election.

District 86 is looking to make improvements to both Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South High Schools, according to a release — an initiative that’s reportedly been in the works since December 2014.

On Feb. 22, the school board decided on a reduced scope for the $76 million referendum, which will appear on affected ballots April 4.

According to the district, these are the changes that will be made:

Hinsdale Central

• Special Education: Expand the department, as well as add a therapeutic sensory room and confidential spaces for meetings
• Student Services: Expand to provide easier access to special education and increase access to Counselors Commons and College and Career Center
• Fine Arts: Create a larger band room, put in a freight elevator and increase accessibility to the basement and fitness center
• Science and Classrooms: Add a two-story addition to the science wing with two new science labs and three new general classrooms
• Aquatic Center: Put in a new 8-lane, 25-yard pool with an appropriate depth diving well

Hinsdale South

• Special Education: Expand the support space to include a second Foundations classroom, adaptable washroom and closer working spaces for paraprofessionals
• Cafeteria: Completely update the kitchen serving spaces to eliminate ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) issues, improve student serving times, improve equipment and improve sanitation
• Fine Arts: Upgrade current auditorium to ADA standards, expand band room, update lighting and technology in auditorium
• Technology Wing: Renovate existing wing to support the engineering and architecture program, create connected shop and computer-aided design spaces
• Aquatic Center: Completely renovate to replace existing pool with 6-lane, 25-yard pool with an appropriate depth diving well
• Library: Update current space to include one-level Media Production Lab and flexible presentation and production spaces

“We are pleased to present this refined scope to the community,” Hinsdale District 86 Board of Education President Kay Gallo said in the release. “As a Board, we prioritized needs at both Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South. While this scope at the $76 million level cannot possibly provide all the needs identified by the Functional Teams, and the Steering Committee, it is a number that the Board could agree upon and it represents the projects that received the most Board support.”

The following community information sessions will take place throughout the coming weeks:

Monday, March 6 | 5:30 p.m. | Hinsdale Central High School
Tour of proposed project areas followed by Q&A

Tuesday, March 7 | 6:00 p.m. | Hinsdale South High School
Tour of proposed project areas followed by Q&A

Tuesday, March 14 | 8:15 a.m.* | Hinsdale South High School
Tour of proposed project areas followed by Q&A

Tuesday, March 14 | 10:30 a.m.* | Hinsdale Central High School
Tour of proposed project areas followed by Q&A

Thursday, March 23 | 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. | Hinsdale Central and Hinsdale South High Schools
Self-guided tour of proposed project areas, Administrators will be available for questions in each building’s Main Office during the evening of parent-teacher conferences.

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