Lockport Township High School District 205 approves staffing plan, $15M life‑safety bonds for Central Campus

Dr. Bob McBride, superintendent of Lockport Township High School District 205, said the board on March 17 approved two major items: the district's annual licensed‑staffing plan and a $15,000,000 life‑safety bond package to repair Central Campus.

"We need to add 2 more positions," McBride said, describing results of an Illinois State Board of Education audit of services for English language learners that the superintendent said required the hires. He said the staffing plan stems from a lengthy scheduling process that converted about 27,000 individual student sign‑ups into class sections and that the board approved the plan to allow hiring to fill next year's schedules.

The board also voted to issue $15,000,000 in life‑safety bonds to fund a two‑summer project at Central Campus that McBride described as replacing half of the roof this summer, restoring the building exterior (masonry and tuckpointing), installing new windows and beginning electrical system replacement. "This $15,000,000 in bonds . . . will add no additional tax burden to anyone in our community because we'll be keeping that debt low. We will be paying it through cash reserves," McBride said. He added the bonds will carry a 20‑year term unless repaid earlier.

McBride told parents and community members the district conducted post‑referendum outreach after a prior referendum failed and nearly 700 community responses prioritized facility maintenance and financially responsible approaches. He said several bid packages to begin summer work were approved and that those bids came in lower than expected, crediting DLA architects and Bergland construction for competitive pricing.

McBride framed the decisions within the board's broader fiscal priorities, saying board directives include balancing the budget, controlling spending and minimizing debt. He said the district has limited annual budget growth to about 1% per year over the past decade and reported the district saved nearly $400,000 in hiring costs over six years by replacing higher‑cost vacancies with lower‑cost hires.

In addition to the formal approvals, McBride highlighted student achievements the board celebrated earlier in the meeting, including Olivia Matasek's third‑place finish at the IHSA girls bowling tournament and vocal groups Vocal Point and Off the Record advancing from the Great Lakes regional competition, with Vocal Point moving on to nationals in New York City on April 25.

The board also noted a facilities master planning council is reviewing 20‑year needs for district buildings, including capacity to house nearly 900 freshmen at Central Campus. The superintendent said approved bond funds and bid packages are the first steps toward the planned summer work and further planning by the facilities council.

Votes at a glance: Board approved the annual licensed‑staffing plan (includes two additional licensed positions), approved $15,000,000 in life‑safety bonds for Central Campus (20‑year term; to be paid from cash reserves; no additional tax burden stated), and approved multiple bid packages to begin summer work (specific bid amounts not specified in the briefing).

The meeting brief concluded with McBride thanking board members for their work on finances and facilities and wishing students a good spring break.