Northbrook District 28 referendum passes with 63.14%; district readies design and bond steps
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Summary
Voters in Northbrook School District 28 approved the district referendum by 63.14% with about 4,152 ballots cast; district staff outlined communication tactics used, digital metrics, and next administrative steps including design work, a pre-bid meeting for Meadowbrook gym and a May 20 neighbors meeting.
Dr. Pearson, superintendent of Northbrook School District 28, announced that district voters approved the April referendum by 63.14%, drawing 4,152 votes and about a 29% turnout, well above the suburban Cook County average of 17.61%.
The vote, Dr. Pearson said, was “transformative” for students and families and the district is moving from planning to the design-and-build phase. District communications staff member Terry summarized the outreach campaign that preceded the vote and credited a combination of targeted digital content, direct mail and an active community organizing effort with boosting turnout.
Terry said, “not only did the referendum get approved by voters by 63.14, but the referendum was approved in every precinct,” and detailed campaign outreach: a referendum webpage that drew 4,872 views in February–March, a podcast episode series (90 downloads for the first referendum episode), paid social advertising of about $400, and 6,900 direct-mail pieces distributed to district households. The district also held roughly 31 in-person meetings, set up displays at school events and ran a Vote Yes grassroots effort that used door-to-door canvassing, neighborhood coffees and yard signs.
Terry told the board the district provided a transparent tax calculator on its referendum website and emphasized that many of the outreach tactics were intended to reach nonparent taxpayers as well as families. She described social reach gains during the campaign: Facebook reach up 394% and Instagram reach up about 310% from early February to April.
On next steps, Dr. Pearson said the district is entering the design phase. She noted Meadowbrook’s gym project will hold a pre-bid meeting the following day for interested contractors to meet architects and tour the site, and that sealed bids will be opened in May and brought back to the board for approval. She added that bond proceeds will not arrive until after July 1 and that certain architect and preconstruction costs have been paid from operating funds while the district awaits bond closing.
The district also plans site-specific web pages and construction time-lapse video once work begins, and has scheduled a Meadowbrook neighbors meeting at 5 p.m. on May 20 for architects to present plans and receive community questions.
District staff and board members repeatedly credited the Community Advocacy Committee and the Vote Yes team for organizing local support; Dr. Pearson and Terry said strong community momentum and an emphasis on transparency were decisive. No new district policy or expenditure beyond the referendum scope was approved at the meeting.
The board did not take additional votes related to bond issuance at the meeting; staff said formal bond documents and any contract awards will return to the board for approval in May.
