Coleman, Highland and Laurel Hill elementary schools in School District U-46 will welcome almost 250 more students this school year with the help of new building additions that add much-needed classroom space. Crews from various district departments are wrapping up work at the additions to be ready for the first day of school, Aug. 17, as the district launches full-day kindergarten for more than 2,600 students.

School District U-46 CEO Tony Sanders says administrators are grateful for the dedication of the construction crews and many district employees who have worked together to ensure students are in class by Aug. 17.

“We can’t wait to watch brick and mortar turn into special places of learning and engagement,” he said.

The three schools will celebrate their additions with ribbon cutting ceremonies on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The first ceremony begins at 5 p.m. at Laurel Hill, 1750 Laurel Ave., Hanover Park, followed by Coleman at 6 p.m., 1220 Dundee Ave., Elgin. Highland concludes the evening at 7 p.m., 190 N. Melrose Ave., Elgin. Board members, parents, students and guests will join staff and CEO Sanders at each school.

The additions add 26 classrooms to each school, with 10 at Coleman, 10 at Highland and six at Laurel Hill.

The additions began to take shape in May with the laying of the concrete foundations. The construction teams then built underground piping systems for sanitary and storm drains. Bearing walls were constructed at all three schools this summer as the crews added the roofs and finalized the structures.

U-46 Plant Operations Director Chris Allen said the Maintenance Department, and the Custodial Services and the Grounds Department will join forces to ensure that the buildings are ready when the staff and students return for the new school year.

“It’s a concerted effort to turn each resulting space into a functioning school,” he said.

With less than a month until completion, the three departments are working together to finish the building additions before health and safety inspections clear the buildings for students and staff.

Each school will accommodate more students with Coleman gaining 114 students for a total enrollment of 664, Highland gaining 105 students for an enrollment of 598, and Laurel Hill seeing an increase of 27, for 528 total students. The additions, along with boundary changes that go into effect this school year, allow the district to use elementary school space more efficiently and will help the District remove about 12 mobile classrooms over the course of the year.

SOURCE: School District U-46 news release

About School District U-46

School District U-46 serves more than 40,000 students from 11 communities across Kane, Cook, and DuPage counties. With 40 elementary schools, eight middle schools, and five high schools, U-46 ranks as the second-largest district in Illinois. Its mission is to be a great place for all students to learn, all teachers to teach, and all employees to work. For more information, visit the U-46 website and