TAYLOR RIDGE, Illinois – Johnna Kerres remembers when she was an 8-year-old girl. The adults in her life would tell her she was a lucky girl because her community would soon get a new school to replace the current aging schoolhouse.
That was about 30 years ago and that promised new school was never built.
But that’s about to change. Several hundred people gathered outside the Rockridge High School campus at 14110 134th Ave. West, on Thursday evening, Sept. 11, to celebrate the upcoming construction of that new $33 million modern building – the Rockridge Elementary School.
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“It’s been a long time since we’ve been talking about a new school. … We’re not just building a school, we are building a Rockridge legacy,” the Taylor Ridge woman said to the crowd during the ground-breaking ceremony.
That ceremony, held on an empty grassy area just south of Rockridge High School, had a school pep rally vibe. It came complete with a high school band playing songs, cheerleaders helping get the crowd into the spirit, proud parents looking on and a group of elementary students shoveling up dirt to break ground on their new school.
If all goes according to plan, that site near the high school will be the home of the new school for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students. Pre-construction work with earth moving is expected to begin Monday, Sept. 15, and the new school will be complete in about two years.
“There’s real excitement for this in the community. … The biggest thing I keep hearing about the new school is ‘When do we start (construction work)?’” Rockridge School District Superintendent Marcus Bush said shortly before the ceremony.
State-of-the-art additions
He added that the new school will be vital to help educate young students because the 68,000-square-foot building will offer state-of-the-art features. They include spaces for art, music, physical education, and intervention services, alongside secure entry points and improved traffic flow.
“This project is about more than bricks and mortar,” Mr. Bush said in a news release before Thursday’s events. “It’s about giving every child in our community the best possible start — right from the beginning. We move forward with deep gratitude for the support of our families, staff, and community members who made this vision possible.”
The new school will replace the three current public elementary schools in Taylor Ridge, Andalusia and Illinois City. Those school buildings were built in the 1950s, and no longer have the space or technology needed for today’s education standards, said Taylor Saey, principal of Andalusia Elementary School. She will be the principal of Rockridge Elementary School.
“Education is one of the most powerful tools we have to shape a student’s future. By creating an environment where all students can learn, grow, and thrive together, we’re laying the foundation for success – not just in school, but in life,” she said.
About the new school
Here are some of the details of the new school:
- Cost: $33 million.
- School plan: The new pre-kindergarten through fifth grade elementary school will bring students from Andalusia, Taylor Ridge and Illinois City under one roof. The three current schools will be retired. Those communities will have two years to consider reuse plans for those school buildings. If no viable alternatives are found, the school district has funds set aside to demolish the buildings for green spaces.
- School features: Spacious and flexible classrooms, gym, kitchen, administrative offices, music and art rooms, library, commons area, independent parking, separate drop-off areas, and secure entry points. The increased space will also provide room for essential services such as: intervention spaces; social emotional learning spaces; speech therapy; and occupational therapy.
- Building size: About 68,000 square feet.
- Funding: Approved by voters in November 2024, the school will be funded through a zero-rate-change bond — an investment made possible without increasing the district’s tax levy The school project plan was approved by about 70% of the vote.
- Number of students: There are currently about 485 students enrolled in K-5, a 22% percent increase compared to four years ago.
- Construction timeline: Construction will begin next week, with the new elementary school slated to open for the 2027–2028 academic year. The building is expected to be complete in August of 2027.
- Architect: BLDD Architects of Decatur, Illinois.
- Contractor: Hodge Construction of Moline.
The journey to build the new school was not an easy trek.
Decades-long journey
During Thursday’s ceremony, speakers pointed out the school project has been discussed and debated for decades. Also, bond issues to fund the school have come before voters several times over the years – and have all been defeated, until last year’s vote.
Leaders, such as Tom Parchert, president of the Rockridge School District Board of Education, thanked the voters for their support in the project. He told the crowd: “Let’s build something great together.”
Mr. Bush added that those many years of conversations and the eventual support of the voters “brought us to this moment today.” He said “Your voices and support made this possible.”
Project contractor Hodge Construction said that the upcoming project will also have an educational component for high school students. Two Rockridge High School senior students – Ryan Lower of Reynolds, Illinois, and Parker Edwards of Milan – will be “project engineers” during the construction of the new school.
“We’re going to be getting some bid information on this. … It’s been a pretty fun job so far,” said Mr. Lower.
The job of approving the new school was also a main theme for the speakers during the Thursday ceremony. Much of that involved getting community support behind the school project from a group of area residents that was co-chaired by Mrs. Kerres. She is the mother of three young children. On Thursday, she wore a We “Vote Yes” t-shirt from last year’s bond issue vote.
In addition to the voters, she thanked the students in the school district, adding they are the reason all the hard work was done to make the dream of a new school a reality.
“This school is definitely something people in the community have been waiting for a long time,” Ms. Kerres said.
