• Editor’s Note: This article was updated from an earlier version to reflect the news that the Regional Office of Education will open in its new location on July 15. The earlier version indicated it would open at 28. N. First St. on July 14.

After occupying the former Sixth Street School building for 15 years, starting next week, the Kane County Regional Office of Education will be moving six blocks east to 28 N. First St. in Geneva and will occupy the south tower. The ROE plans to be open to the public starting July 15 at the new location.

The Regional Office of Education is moving to this location on First Street in Geneva.

The ROE provides education-related services for educators, school districts, students and the community. The new facility will have a Pearson Testing Center that offers the GED, information technology exams, the TAP and other professional licensure and certification tests. The testing center will be open starting Friday, July 17. To schedule a test, please contact Pearson Vue.

Fingerprinting appointments will resume on Thursday, July 23. The ROE has two fingerprinting machines using a LiveScan system. If interested in non-education fingerprinting services, the ROE recommends calling ahead to ensure availability. All fingerprinting appointments are scheduled on the ROE website.

During the move, questions pertaining to licensure, professional development, alternative programs and other services are best sent via the contact form on the ROE website.

Sixth Street School Update and Background

The former Sixth Street School building and property, located at 210 S. Sixth St., is being purchased by the Geneva Public Library District at a price of $1.5 million. As part of the contract, the Library District asked Kane County to demolish the building.

The library is purchasing the property as a possible future site for a Geneva library campus.

Kane County Operations Staff Executive Don Biggs said this week that demolition of the Sixth Street building facade could take place sometime in August.

The price of demolishing the building already has been estimated at more than $400,000 following the discovery of additional asbestos in the ceilings and around windows of the circa 1925 structure as well as an underground storage tank on the property.

The ROE will enter into a seven-year contract to lease the first, second and third floors of the First Street office building’s South Tower, which takes up about 9,500 square feet of office space. The county has budgeted $130,000 for the lease. Any amounts spend over that would be picked up by the Regional Office of Education.

• This article was written by Ellen Kamps of the Kane County Regional Office of Education, made possible by Regional Superintendent Patricia Dal Santo. Kane County Connects editor Rick Nagel added to this report. As noted above, it has been updated to reflect the July 15 opening date.
  

Read More

• Geneva Library Will Pay $1.5 Million for Former Sixth Street School Site
• Sixth Street Demolition Costs Higher Than Expected
• Regional Office of Education’s Picks New Digs in Geneva
• Sixth Street Demolition Gets City OK; Next Hurdle Is State Historic Agency