The North Palos School District 117 Board of Education is pleased to announce a significant step forward in its commitment to offering full-day kindergarten to all students in the District. At a special meeting held on Thursday, July 11, the Board approved a motion to proceed with capital improvements at the Sorrick School campus that will allow the District to offer full-day kindergarten for all students by the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year.
“We have spent a lot of time conducting a thorough review of all available options for this project. I am very happy that we are able to move forward with these plans that will allow full-day kindergarten to be a reality for all students in North Palos 117,” said Dr. Christine Droba, Superintendent of Schools for NPD117.
The multi-phase project, with an estimated cost of $23.5 million, will be funded entirely without the need for additional borrowing. The improvements will take place at the Sorrick School campus, which also houses the district administration center and the Opalinski building. Although construction will only be taking place on the Sorrick campus, this project creates the necessary space for full-day kindergarten at Dorn and Sorrick schools by combining the preschool program at the Sorrick campus starting in the 2027-2028 school year. Not only does this project create the necessary space for full-day kindergarten classrooms, but the plan also addresses current space limitations at both Dorn and Sorrick schools. As a result of this project, the students of District 117 will benefit from dedicated spaces for fine arts, occupational and physical therapy, and gross motor skills.
“The Board considered various construction options,” said Dr. Tom Kostes, President of the NPD117 Board of Education. “Ultimately, the approved plan prioritizes the educational needs of our students in the most fiscally responsible manner.”
Construction at the Sorrick campus is slated to begin in late spring of 2025.