New Maple School Groundbreaking Ceremony Takes Place on April 5

New Maple School Groundbreaking Video Link by Andrew Kohl https://youtu.be/6CQZaJ2PH38

If the west Maple School gymnasium was a person and could express emotions, it would have been bursting with pride on April 5, when the official groundbreaking assembly and ceremony took place for the new Maple School. Instead it was “bursting with” Board of Education members, administrators, students, staff, village leaders, community members, former Board members, teachers, administrators, the architectural team from ARCON and Associates, Nicholas & Associates Construction, and of course, Manny the Mascot!

Poised between towers of blue-and-orange balloons (Maple’s colors) and the symphonic band, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Wegley proudly stated, "This is a historic event for District 30, as we officially begin to realize a new innovative, flexible, and responsible Maple School that has been designed by our District 30 Family through hard work by our Board, administrative team, staff, students, and members of our community!”

Kicking off the ceremony, Maple Principal Dr. Nate Carter welcomed eighth grader/Student Council President Sachin Patel and the color guard, as everyone recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang the Star Spangled Banner accompanied by band director Mike Vecchio and the symphonic band! He thanked everyone for coming to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Maple School.

The following individuals and groups were thanked and honored for their support: Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Board of Education members: Board President and Maple School graduate Mr. Chuck Gitles, Board Vice President Mrs Mrs. Ursula Sedlak, Board members Mrs. Nancy Artz, Mr. Keith Karchmar, Mr. Ihab Riad, Mrs. Beth Shabelman, and Mr. Jeff Zuercher. Others recognized were the District 30’s Administrative Team: Mrs. Betty Holzkopf, Dr. Melissa Hirsch, Mr. Dale Falk, Mr. Andy Kohl, Ms. Lauren Schulman, Mrs. Nadine Lee, Mr. Chris Brown, and Mr. Don Zabski.

Local dignitaries included Northbrook Village President Ms. Sandy Frum, Northbrook Village Manager Mr. Rich Nahrstadt, State Representative Mr. Jonathan Carroll, Ms. Shiva Mohsenzadeh from State Representative Laura Fine’s Office, State Senator Mrs. Julie Morrison, Northfield Township’s Ms. Jill Brickman, Northbrook Library Director Ms. Katie Hall, and Glenview Park District Director Mr. Mike McCartney.

Also present were former Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Board members: Mrs. Karen Roloff, Mr. Scott Margolin, and Mr. Carlo Cavallero; as well as former Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Administrators: Maple Principal, Mr. Steven Waitz, and former Administrative Assistant to Dr. Wegley, Sam Friedman.

"We would also like to express our appreciation to our architectural team from ARCON and Associates: Mr. Rick Cozzi, Mr. Jeff Huck, Mrs. Erin Miller, Mr. Chris Killinger, Ms. Lisa Martin, and Mr. Dakota Betts, and our construction managers from Nicholas & Associates: Mr. Nicholas Papanicholas, Jr., Mr. Jeff Zurlinden, Mr. Steve Hayes, and Mr. Joe Minalga,” he added.

Superintendent Dr. Wegley summarized, "What is best for our students always remains at the center of our decision making. This effort began with input from students and staff, to ARCON, who formulated a Master Facility Plan. The work generated options that were finalized by a Steering Committee and analyzed by a Citizen’s Task Force."

The referendum effort was led by a community advocacy committee that included Jeff St. John, Pat Dunbar, David Abraham, Carlo Cavallaro, Ashley Delaney, Joanna Kaplan, and so many more! The results of these efforts led to support of this new facility that will serve countless students into the future, with a nearly 76% yes vote on a referendum presented to the community last spring.

Dr. Wegley continued to thank countless individuals and groups for their support, adding that the district could not have succeeded without the help of neighbors the Village of Northbrook, La Salceda del Norte, District 225, and Glenbrook North High School.

“Our mission in this work has been to align our facility vision with our educational vision. We are so excited. With the input from so many, the guidance of our architects at ARCON, and our construction managers from Nicholas, we will see our vision take shape before our eyes over the next 17 months. We can’t wait for our students and staff to benefit from this new facility!” Dr. Wegley concluded.

Next, as a former Maple alumnus, whose child attends (and two whom attended) District 30 schools, Board of Education President Chuck Gitles spoke about the past and future of Maple School.

"I estimate that over 12,000 students have been through this building since it was built over 65 years ago. I know that for a few of today's students that number includes your older brothers and sisters. I also know that for some of you, that includes your parents, as well."

"There’s a lot of history and memories in this building. But while we are constructing a new building, we are not building a new school. A school is not just a physical structure. It’s everything that happens within that structure. It’s the students, the teachers, the staff, and the traditions. Most importantly, it is the life-long friendships we've made and the memories shared. Those things are not tied to a structure, they are tied to the people who are a part of it."

"Maple School will always be Maple School. It will always be your Maple School. And no matter what the building looks like, you and everyone who ever went to school here will always be are a part of it. You all have created the culture that makes Maple School, and District 30 as a whole, a destination for outstanding education that this community demands."

He concluded, "One of you looking at me right now is going to be the first student in the new building on the first day of class. Your Board of Education is so excited to start a new chapter in the long history of Maple School."

At the conclusion of the assembly, Assistant Principal Betty Holzkopf and Principal Dr. Nate Carter chose 12 students randomly to participate in the breaking of the ground for the new Maple School. They included: sixth graders: Declan Noyes, Rachel Florek, Dylan Azizi, Maia Abrahams; seventh graders Noah Kaufman, Vivian Wang, Rohan Mitra, Annalise Pappas; and eighth graders Zachary Donatello, Melanie Baczweski, Sloan Greenfield, and Andrew Marasco.

Everyone was invited to grab a shovel, pose for a photo, and participate in the groundbreaking behind the west gym of Maple School. Now, as Board President Chuck Gitles said at the conclusion of his speech, “Let’s get to it!”

The new Maple School is scheduled to open its doors in the fall of 2019.