Cook County voters will play a crucial role in shaping the future of their school district, with three school district referendum questions awaiting their decision on the November general election ballot. This school bond referendum is a testament to the power of democracy in action, giving each voter a voice in the direction of their community’s education.
The ISD 166 school board has spent extensive time and resources reviewing its facilities’ current state and developing a strategic plan to improve education outcomes and the capital facilities needed to achieve those outcomes. The board, in essence, is announcing in this series of referenda that it has identified the district’s needs and is asking voters to give a thumbs up to borrow the money (issue bonds) needed to make it all happen. Whether the school district will borrow sufficient funds and whether property taxes will be raised is a direct decision voters make.
When ISD 166 Superintendant of Schools Chris Lindholm was interviewed by the district for his current position in 2021, the issue of capital improvements to the school campus was not raised.
After coping with the effects of COVID during his first year, Lindholm started hearing from different interests about the need for improved facilities. Everything from lights for the baseball diamond and a real track outside to better (LED) lighting and improved ventilation on the inside.
Lindholm knew that selecting individual requests for improvements wasn’t feasible. “Some were must-have needs, and some were wants that would be nice to have,” he said.
In 2022, Lindholm and the elected board members embarked on a strategic planning process. This comprehensive process included a thorough identification of the school’s needs and wants, as well as a detailed assessment of its infrastructure.
They retained a consulting firm, ICS (ics-builds.com), a Minneapolis-based consulting firm that started in 2006 and has a long track record of helping school districts understand their needs and develop plans to meet them.
According to the website established by the district to communicate the referendum specifics and purpose with the public (vikingsvision.org), ICS had industry professionals “analyze the existing facility and grounds to determine deficiencies of the physical facility structure, infrastructure within the building, outbuilding, and supporting site (parking lots, sidewalks, fields, etc.). A full report was completed outlining deferred maintenance needs.”
The original building for K-12 students, which forms the nucleus of the campus today, was built in 1958. Since then, additions have been made in 1962, 1972, 1998, 2015, and 2018. The most significant improvements were added in 1998 with the Arrowhead Center for the Arts and a new gymnasium. In 2012, the district lost its elementary auditorium and the old gym to the YMCA addition.
The needs and expectations for the facility’s future were not determined in isolation. Instead, they were shaped through multiple channels of gathering input from school employees, faculty, parents, students, and the general public. This inclusive approach included ten “listening sessions,” intended to ensure all of the community’s voices were heard and valued in the planning process.
In Minnesota, funding approval for school building projects must come directly from the voters in the district.
“The board was kind of surprised by all of the needs identified by ICS,” Lindholm said. After much debate, the board split the needed projects into three groups. They concluded that the voters should be able to vote separately on what is seen to be the must-haves and then vote on the so-called nice-to-haves in the second and third questions. (See sidebar for the referendum language.)
Cook County Schools enrolled 426 students this year, about the same as in 2020. Enrollment is projected to rise 8.2% in the next ten years.
By law, the school district cannot advocate for “YES” votes. Its role is to provide information to the public about the levy request, which it has diligently done. Information is readily available through its public meetings, website, and social media efforts. Lindholm’s willingness to meet with the local media, like the Northshore Journal, speaks to his willingness to communicate with the public.
Education Minnesota, an organization of 477 local unions, advocates for education in Minnesota. It is helping local citizens raise a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) effort to “Vote Yes” before the November election.
Lindholm, an experienced educator and administrator, is a warm and outgoing advocate for the teachers and students he works with. “I always say, ‘It’s a Great Day to Be A Viking,’” he said. Having nearly eliminated his staffing shortages over the past few years, he credits stable enrollment, a balanced budget, and a good working environment for attracting staff. “I do need to fill two bus driving positions, though,” he added.
