There are a lot of changes for students and staff Thursday morning at Illinois second largest school district.
Classes begin for Elgin District U-46.
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Illinois Park will welcome elementary students back for the first time in nearly 20 years.
It’s just one of the many changes in Elgin’s U-46 School District this year.
Illinois Park originally opened in 1999 as an elementary school, but then served as an early childhood center.
Classrooms have been reconfigured for elementary students and common areas and support spaces refreshed.
For the first time, about 2,400 incoming 6th graders will join the 7th and 8th graders in middle school as 6th graders were previously part of the elementary schools.
Kenyon Woods Middle School has made renovations and changes to welcome the extra grade.
Several preschool classrooms have also been expanded throughout the district and now available at 26 schools this year compared to 15 buildings last year.
Larkin High School students will now have an athletic field of their own.
Home games will now be held on-site at the high school’s royals athletic complex after decades of playing at other locations.
All of this possible because of community funding support from a $179 million bond – approved back in 2023.
