Parent urges board to prioritize Vernon Hills High School aquatics facility maintenance

A parent urged the Community High School District 128 Board of Education on June 23 to prioritize the Vernon Hills High School aquatics facility and to gather input from district staff before making decisions about pool use.

Speaking during the invitation for public comment, a parent who identified themselves as a community member said they were not an elected official and asked the board to “determine what's in the best interest of our district finances, our athletic programming, and equity of opportunity to support our students.” The speaker recommended the board consult specific staff: “Talk to Mister Dan Stanley about the state of our facilities and finances,” and “Loop in our 2 athletic directors, mister Woods at LHS and mister Cooper here at VHHS starting next week, and, doctor Young and, of course, doctor Schaeffer when he takes up his position next week.”

The commenter referenced a recent HVAC failure that affected the pool and warned against delaying maintenance until a “sudden catastrophe” forces an expensive repair that diverts funds from other projects. They also named Jim Pardon as the head of aquatics at VHHS and said he could best explain the program’s needs.

The board did not take formal action on the pool during the meeting; the remarks were recorded as part of the public-comment period and the speaker asked the board to gather staff input and to consider equity and financial impacts before making future decisions.